Once Upon A Christmas
by PalindromeIsntOne
Summary: IkexMarth fluff. 25 drabbles/chapters leading up to Xmas. Set in a boarding school. In which we give Marth something different each day.
1. Day 1

_Dedicated to ADashOfInsanity, as a sort of ongoing Christmas present. :)_

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><p><strong>Day 1. <strong>

**In which we give Marth sugar. A lot of sugar.**

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><p>"Heeeelllloooooooo everybody!" A small blue streak skipped down the corridor, two rather worried-looking girls trailing quickly behind him.<p>

"It's the first day of December!" the bluenette announced brightly to no one in particular. "You know what that means?"

"Er –"

"Twenty five, that's five and twenty, two-five whole days until _Christmas_!" he yelped gleefully, not waiting for a reply, and promptly bursting into song. "_On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to meeee _–"

"Marth, shhh!" Peach giggled.

"What is he _on_…?" Zelda muttered beside her, her tone a little more concerned. "Well at least he's in tune," she remarked dryly.

"_- A partridge in a plum treeeeeeee…_Oh wait, it's 'pear'! Silly me…" He took a deep breath and began again. "_On the first day of Chr_ –"

"Marth, people are staring," Zelda warned in a hushed whisper.

He completely ignored her, continuing to sing. But then, suddenly, he stopped mid corridor and turned back towards her with a look of panic, one hand flying to the top of his head. "My tiara! Where did it go? It must have fallen off when I was skipping…"

"I've got it," Peach smiled reassuringly, returning the beloved item to its prince.

"Oh." He paused, took it, and carefully repositioned it over his hair. For a moment it looked like normality might resume. But with the tiara in place a wide grin once more spread over Marth's face.

"Thanks Peach!" He turned around and resumed skipping, reaching the end of the corridor and bursting into the classroom in time for registration. Zelda shot Peach a worried look, and they quickly hurried in after him.

"Such a _brilliant_ day! The sun, it's just so _gold_ for a December day, isn't it Peach? It's like the gold of a coin, like the yellow stripe of a bee, like the soft radiance of your hair – and it _smells_ fresh – not your hair, though I am sure that does as well – but the _air_ in here, it's like it's been cleaned with Fairy Liquid, mmm…"

"_Marth!_" Zelda hissed at him, trying to get his attention in the hope of persuading him to calm down. But he was already bounding across the classroom, towards the _boys._

"Marth!" This time both Peach and Zelda's voices were raised with concern. Marth almost never talked to the boys, not unless he had to. They watched nervously as he approached Ike.

"Ike! Hello! Happy first of December!" And, beaming, _Marth hugged him._

Both Zelda and Peach both froze, anxiously looking on as Marth flung his happy self at the older male. Ike looked equally stunned, staring at him without moving until Marth let go, at which point he continued to stare, looking slightly alarmed. Marth turned away from him, _still_ beaming, and flounced back towards the girls.

"Marth, I think we need to talk." Zelda took a firm grip on his arm and pulled him quickly out of the classroom.

"Hey!" Marth protested. "Let me go!"

"Marth, what have you eaten or drunk this morning?" Zelda asked without preamble the moment the door was closed.

"Hmm? Why?"

"You're hyper!" Peach giggled.

"No I'm not." He pouted.

"Answer my question," Zelda persisted.

Marth frowned, thinking for a moment. "Syrup," he said decisively. "Syrup on toffee sponge, chocolate mousse, lemon meringue, a slice of Victoria sponge cake, a Bakewell tart…" He paused. "Two Danish pastries, and a frosted doughnut," he finished.

"Oh _Marth_." Peach giggled some more.

"Marth, _why_?" Zelda asked.

Marth blinked. "Oh, because I was talking to Kirby and he asked me if I had eaten the first chocolate from my Advent calendar yet. And I said no, because I've never had an Advent calendar, and he looked horrified and dragged me off to the kitchen to 'fix that'."

"I think he overdid it," Zelda commented unnecessarily.

"Marth?" Peach's voice was laced with concern and Zelda quickly looked back towards the sugar-filled male. Marth, though, instead of being hyper, was now rapidly paling, his eyes growing wide.

"I…I h– I…I hugged…I hugged…" he choked out, swaying backwards against the wall.

"You've only just registered it, haven't you?" Zelda murmured sympathetically.

"I hugged him. _I hugged Ike._ I…_flung_…myself at him." From being alarmingly pale he suddenly flushed bright red, suddenly overwhelmed with embarrassment. He slumped down against the wall and buried his head in his hands. Peach patted him on the head.

"Just breathe, Marth," Zelda advised. "Just breathe."


	2. Day 2

**Day 2.**

**In which we give Marth a candle.**

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><p>Did everyone feel like that, coming down after a sugar high? Marth sighed. They should try coming down from a sugar <em>mountain.<em>

He groaned. He still blushed to think of what he'd done. He couldn't believe he'd _hugged __Ike._ Blushing with embarrassment, yes, because he was still humiliated about it, not blushing because he could still remember the realisation of just how big and strong Ike's chest had felt against his – no, no, nothing like that.

He sighed and slid slowly off his bed onto the floor, feeling underneath the bed for the small pack of candles he had bought the other day. He'd been too preoccupied yesterday with the sugar and subsequent embarrassment to do this, but today he'd remembered and had been waiting for the evening to carry it out. Now he sombrely took one pale vanilla candle from the pack and slotted it into a holder on his bedside table. Matches, matches… He looked around for a moment, trying to remember where they were, and then found them in the drawer a few moments later. Tenderly he struck a match, watching the small flame grow at the end before touching it lightly to the candle wick. As the flame grew steady he stood once more and crossed the room to turn out the lights and make sure the door was soundly closed. Pit might come back to the room in a little bit – he'd better keep this quick.

He crossed the room again and knelt in front of the bedside table, meditating for a moment on the candlelight. It was something he'd done every Christmas – not to mark the passing of weeks as they did in churches – but as a personal memoriam to his mother. She had always loved Christmas. He took a deep breath, and swallowed.

"Hi mummy." He looked down at his lap for a moment before looking back up at the candle. "I hope you're well. I haven't done a lot of exciting things this year, but I've tried to work hard at school. I still don't mix with the other boys much apart from Pit, but the girls are really kind to me. I'll try harder to talk to the boys more this Christmas, I promise." He paused. "You'd like Zelda – she's smart, but very caring. Peach still giggles at everything. A girl called Daisy joined my art class in September – her and Peach are friends now. Samus is still flirting with the Maths teacher." He paused again, folding his hands a little tighter in his lap. "I miss you." The candle flickered a little as he breathed out the words, and he waited for it to steady again before continuing. "Once we sewed decorations for the Christmas tree, do you remember? Little stockings and star shapes. And you used to help the cooks in the kitchen with the Christmas roast, even though you weren't meant to, because you liked cooking. Father didn't approve much but your excuse was that you were just being generous because it was Christmas. I remember you smelt of oranges…" He laughed a little, sadly, briefly lost in reminiscence. The smell of vanilla comforted him as he finished. "Merry Christmas, mummy."

Just then there was a knock at the door and a moment later it opened, Pit peeking through.

"Marth?"

"It's okay, you can turn on the light."

"No, I'm only passing on a message. Peach was asking for you. She's baking scones."

"Oh – I almost forgot! Just coming." He stood and followed Pit out of the room, leaving the candle behind him, flickering brightly in the darkness.


	3. Day 3

**Day 3.**

**In which we give Marth a truth potion.**

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><p>"Marth, that's it. Stop moping over the fact you accidentally hugged Ike whilst sugar high. I'm sure he won't think any worse of you for it – you obviously weren't yourself at the time."<p>

"I'm not moping!"

"Marth, it's December, it's freezing, and you're sitting outside on a bench by yourself. If you're not moping over Ike then you must have a secret desire to become an icicle."

"I'm not moping!"

"Oh, of _course_ not. You are already largely blue after all – you'd make a _lovely_ icicle."

"I'm _not_ moping!"

"And you're thin. And I can see right through you. _You're moping._"

"I'm not moping! Why would I be moping?"

"That brings me to my other point. It's about time you admitted your feelings for Ike. Let's face it, we've all known the moment you set eyes on him."

"Known what?"

"I knew you would be like this. You really aren't going to admit it, are you? But Marth, you _should._ If you don't even get _that_ far, how are you ever going to be happy with him?"

"What? Zelda, what are you talking about?"

"Ah, never mind… Here, drink this."

"What is it?"

"Oh, just a little something to warm you up. If you really are insisting on sitting out here in the freezing cold."

"It's not alcohol, is it?"

"No, it's just one of my…herbal brews."

"Oh. Thank you."

"_Now _you'll admit it…"

"What was that? Mmm. Wow, what is this? It's like chocolate and hot apple crumble with raspberries. I feel all warm and…tingly."

"Nice, then?"

"Lovely. Hee hee. It's even making my…_nether regions_…tingle."

"_Wonderful._ Yes, it's definitely working."

"Eh?"

"Marth I think it's about time you admitted some obvious things, and accepted yourself for the way you are."

"Sometimes I think that too. But I can't accept myself just yet; I still want to change. Then I'll accept myself."

"Do you worry a lot about how you look?"

"Yes. I worry if my hair isn't neat, or my clothes aren't pristine. I love my tunic; it's so soft. I love soft things! And it hugs me wonderfully, though sometimes I worry about that because it shows how small my chest is and sometimes I worry that my leggings make my bum look big… I didn't used to wear leggings you know – I had a longer tunic, mind, but I could feel the breeze around my thighs – it made me feel freer and…a little more daring. You know, in a sort of _just me against the elements_ way. And I wore sandals. I think sandals are sexy. Sshhh though, don't tell. People might think I'm weird."

"You're just fine Marth. Actually, you're very pretty."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Oh. Well…you too, Zelda. You have lovely eyes. And I love your hair – I'd plait mine sometime, but sometimes I…I look in the mirror and worry if I looked any girlier someone might actually mistake me for one."

"Heh heh. Thanks Marth. But you've never been interested in me, have you? Or _any_ girl?"

"Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha…oh, Zelda…"

"So…?"

"Zelda, I'm as gay as a rainbow. I like _men_."

"Really?"

"Don't act so surprised. Haven't you always subtly tried to get me to admit it?"

"Why do you have so much trouble acknowledging this normally?"

"Well, I'm a prince. I'm meant to be good at sword fighting, interested in mechanics and the movement of armies. I have to appear somewhat manly – drooling over other boys in their swimming trunks really doesn't add to that image, does it?"

"And what do you think of Ike?"

"Oh sweet lord, he's gorgeous. Just the way he fills his clothes, the way he walks, the sound of his voice…his smile, his hair. The way his hand clenches when he's angry and makes all the muscles in that arm more defined as he does it. His laugh, and when he stands with his hands on his hips… Trying not to stare at him in the changing rooms before and after sport is one of the hardest things I ever do."

"So you'd like to get with him?"

"Were you even listening? It's, well…it's a fantasy. Sometimes I act it out with my pillow. But it's not going to happen."

"Well you won't know unless you actually try _talking_ to the guy."

"Zelda…"

"I'm just saying _try_. What have you got to lose? Otherwise you'll never know."

"Hmmph."

"Hey, just as a thought…do you…do you think I'd stand a chance with Link?"

"You're kidding me? The way he looks at you I reckon if you acted even a touch provocative he'd take you over the nearest table."

"…Right."

"Have I said too much?"

"Probably. Anyway, you should probably get back inside before you freeze to death. I'm going in anyway."

"Right. Oh – here's your bottle. Thanks for the drink."

"Oh, _you're welcome_."

"But…Zelda…?"

"Yes?"

"I feel funny."


	4. Day 4

**Day 4.**

**In which we give Marth flowers.**

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><p><em>Ike likes me, Ike likes me not. Ike likes me, Ike likes me not. Try talking to him, don't try talking to him. Wreak murderous revenge on Zelda in her sleep, do not wreak murderous revenge on Zelda in her sleep.<em>

Marth let the last petal fall and sighed, looking around the rest of the greenhouse helplessly. He should have realised as soon as Zelda had given him the accursed drink. And now, naturally, he couldn't stop thinking about what he'd said. What he'd been _made_ to say, that is, by what had to be a truth potion coupled with Zelda's prying questions. Ike. He fancied Ike. He supposed he'd always _known_, but it was something that until now he had, for the most part, managed to ignore. Except for the times he acted out imaginary romantic scenarios using his pillow, that is. Oh god, had he really admitted to that? He blushed. Should he really try talking to Ike? As far as he knew, they didn't have anything in common. Even as he had the thought he could imagine Zelda saying, _How do you know if you haven't talked to him?_ Oh, but it was so embarrassing! As soon as he even got within fifty feet of the guy it became a little harder to breathe, a little harder to think, a little harder to look at anything else…

_Oh sweet lord, he's gorgeous._

"No! Why did I have to say that? Why?" The words escaped him in a plaintive wail. Why had Zelda wanted to make him admit it so badly? What was he supposed to do about it now? He began to pace the length of the greenhouse, up and down the rows of small plants, muttering to himself. He would never have said those things if he hadn't been given that stupid potion; he could have gone on ignoring the way his heart leapt every time Ike looked in his direction, pretending it was just because he'd swallowed too fast or just because he hadn't expected to see him there. He could have forced himself to ignore that actually, he was in the grip of a totally all-consuming super fluffy girly rainbow stomach-lurching obsessive gay crush that would mean endless hankies, hot drinks, cushion cuddles and potentially therapy if he never saw Ike again.

"This is hopeless! What am I going to do…?" Marth stopped where he was standing and began to pluck at the petals of another flower absently. Why did admitting it have to mean anything? He could just go on as he had before, surely, ignoring and waylaying and distracting himself… Why should he feel obliged to do something about it now? But in a way he _did_ feel a little bit like he should do something about it, or perhaps that was just Zelda's encouragement. The thought of acting on it made him feel uncertain and scared and hopeful. If he didn't do anything, he would die a little bit inside from not knowing, but be safeguarded from the greater pain. But if he did something, he might fail and die inside anyway, and gambling so many hopes and fears on something so big and important and gorgeous –

"Aaaarghhh! What am I going to _do_?"

"Do about what?"

Marth jumped and spun around to see Pit entering the greenhouse, a curious expression on his face.

"Oh, um…"

"Marth, you're picking that flower to pieces."

"Oh! Oops…" He let the limp stalk fall from his hand and brushed himself off. Pit walked over to him and began taking out some plant pots from under the bench. As he straightened up it looked like he would repeat the question, but then he caught sight of someone outside the greenhouse and smiled, waving. Marth followed his line of sight. Roy was passing by, waving back. When he had passed Marth looked back at Pit, finding him still smiling even though now he was busy filling the pots with soil. Marth helped – anything to keep his hands and brain occupied for a moment. Once the pots were filled however, Pit looked up at him, calming his smile a little.

"Do about what?" he prompted gently.

Marth fumbled frantically for an excuse, but half of him felt a need to confide in somebody, anybody, and Pit was here, his open expression inviting. He could trust Pit. But having made the choice, he didn't even know how to put it. In the end he simply said,

"Ike."

"Ahh." Pit smiled. "So you finally admitted it then."

Marth's eyes flew wide. "What? Has Zelda been talking to you?"

"Huh? No."

"Oh." He paused a moment at the implications of this, fidgeting with the edge of his tunic. Ignoring it for the time being, he whispered, "What should I do?"

"You could go and talk to him," Pit suggested easily.

"But…"

"You may not have to though, if you're nervous. I wouldn't worry." He smiled.

"What do you mean?" Marth frowned, not understanding.

Pit shrugged. "Doesn't matter." He patted Marth once on the shoulder. "I'll go get some seeds and bulbs. Be right back." He turned and walked out leisurely, leaving Marth behind in the greenhouse.

_Ike,_ Marth mused, turning and plucking at another flower. _Yes, no, yes, no…_


	5. Day 5

**Day 5.**

**In which we give Marth a stapler.**

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><p>There was a huge project in for Geography that Monday. Marth had finished it early of course, but he'd spent last night scanning through and doing a bit of last minute editing anyway, just to make sure that it was as good as he could get it. He glanced down at it proudly. <em>Tectonic Plate Movements And Their Potential Effects.<em> Not the most interesting subject in the world, but at least it was done now. And it was always satisfying to complete something. Marth had always been proud of his efficient work ethic, even if others teased him or called him 'nerd'. He'd printed it off that morning, and now the respectably sized stack of loose, numbered sheets sat in front of him on his desk. Fishing in his pocket for a moment he pulled out a long, thick navy blue ribbon and ran it through his hands for a moment admirably, intending to use it to tie up his project prettily for handing in.

It was just then that Ike walked in, carrying his own bundle of project papers over to his desk by the boys. Marth's eyes followed him of their own accord, watching him lay the papers down in a practical manner before he hunted around for the stapler. His arms looked so strong, as always – bare, even though it was winter. _He must be cold_, Marth thought for a moment, and then realised he was staring and looked away with a quick blush. But he couldn't help himself, and a moment later his eyes had drifted back to Ike again.

The stapler was in high demand. Everyone had printed off his or her projects at the same time, i.e. as late as possible, to avoid possibilities of creasing beforehand. He could hear the persistent sound of the stapler being pumped up and down as he looked back down at his ribbon. _Ribbon_. He blushed, suddenly embarrassed. How girly was that? Everyone else was stapling – even the girls, actually, with the sole exception of Pit, who had bought a slim folder to put his in. Marth quickly stuffed the ribbon back into his pocket ashamedly. If he really _was_ going to try and talk to Ike, he'd better begin by at least fitting in. Ike wouldn't like him if he realised Marth liked being so girly and decorative.

Ike was the last one to use the stapler. Marth took it from Ike's desk once he was done, returning to his own project and slipping the wad of paper into the end. It only just fit, but it didn't look like it was going to get stuck there or anything. He put one hand over the stapler and pushed down.

The stapler didn't budge.

That is to say, it depressed a little way, but seemed pretty stubborn about going any further. Marth put his other hand above the one on the stapler again and pushed down harder. It moved a little further this time but remained stiff and resistant, and rebounded back to its original position without having fulfilled its purpose. Marth stared at it, embarrassed and irritated, and a little worried. He couldn't be caught failing to deploy a _stapler_, for goodness' sake. What if Ike saw? Refusing to check the room to see if this humiliating fact might be true or not, Marth once more pushed both hands down firmly over the stapler, leaning his whole weight into the effort. He got significantly further this time but still far from the whole way, and the exertion of it was becoming obvious. And if he really wanted to get it through neatly then he would have to try _again_, even harder. Perhaps the ribbon wouldn't have been so embarrassing after all.

"Need a hand?"

Marth looked up, and straight into Ike's eyes. He froze, taken completely by surprise, and forgot to speak for several seconds. The embarrassment that Ike _had_ noticed him struggling had yet to register – he was still in shock from the fact Ike had spoken to him at all, that he was standing right next to Marth's desk and actually _speaking_ to him.

"Need a hand?" Ike repeated.

Marth stared at him, dumbstruck, then slowly looked back at where his hands rested over the stapler, for a long moment completely unable to remember what they were doing there.

"Here, let me." Ike leaned forwards and placed one large hand over his, then pressed down firmly. The stapler rewarded him with a satisfying _ch-chunk._ In one easy motion, it was over. Marth's hand felt a little crushed from the pressure that had been applied, but he was far more overwhelmed by the feeling of warmth that lingered on the top of his hand as Ike drew his own away. Ike paused, then gestured at the project again.

"Would you like me to do the other one?"

His voice was so calm and steady, like a slow wave lapping at the beach. It took Marth a good moment to register what he'd actually said.

"Oh…no, I can manage that." He was embarrassed enough that he'd needed help with _one_. He didn't make any move to shift the stapler and prove himself though. If he _did_ fail the second time, that would be even _more_ mortifying.

"Are you sure?" Ike offered.

"Uh…um…" His brain couldn't really function with more than one question, certainly not with Ike at this proximity, whilst his heart beating _way_ over one hundred times per minute and rising every moment Ike remained. He could still feel where Ike's hands had pressed down over his.

"Just to save you the trouble. Seeing as I'm here," Ike said generously. When Marth failed to respond he quickly shifted the stapler down the spine of the project and pressed in again. _Ch-chunk._ He took the stapler away and absently tossed it in one hand.

"That's a thick project you've got there. You must have done an awful lot of work on that."

Marth felt a little bit of pride returning at the compliment. Being unable to staple it wasn't so bad if it was partly because it was too thick from all the work he'd done. After a moment the proper answer occurred to him.

"Thanks."

"Maybe it would have been easier if you'd tied it up with a ribbon instead."

Marth studied Ike's face for a moment, wondering if he was being teased, but Ike's face was serious. Ike shifted awkwardly on the spot, and put one hand behind his head.

"Or um…you know…string. Or something. I don't know why I said ribbon." He shrugged, letting his hand drop, and then after a short pause he turned and walked away back to his desk. Marth watched him go, partly embarrassed still, partly admiring as he always had the strong strides of Ike's legs as he walked.

Perhaps failing to use a stapler wasn't all bad.

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><p><em>AN: Hello! I'm going to open up to suggestions now – are there any objects you want to see given to Marth? Feel free just to name a random object – a little brainstorming can do me a lot of good!_


	6. Day 6

**Day 6.**

**In which we give Marth a Rubix cube.**

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><p><em>Poke.<em>

The offending object shifted an inch further along the communal coffee table and Marth surveyed it critically. Well, it was prettily coloured, he supposed. Very bold, quite striking, aesthetically neat. Twelve edges, eight corners, six faces. And randomly patterned, currently, because once more Marth had failed to fix the pesky thing.

"Stupid thing. Who solves these puzzles around here anyway…"

He could solve one of the faces, most of the time, but then as soon as he tried to start on the middle everything got all muddled up again. It was _impossible_. He was beginning to wish he'd never muddled the thing. He liked order, he liked things to be neat. But this…_object_…wouldn't come neat as easily as dusting or restacking. He had half a mind to throw it away, but it was a gift from Pit.

"Are you okay Marth?"

"Oh, Zelda."

He looked up as Zelda plonked herself down on the sofa next to him, sighing as she adjusted her hair.

"What are you doing then?"

"Nothing…" He looked at the Rubix cube. She followed his gaze.

"Ah." Sensing his irritation, she changed the topic. "I was thinking about what you said about Link."

"When?"

"Under the truth potion."

"_Oh._" She was talking about Link, but he glared at her nevertheless. That day really wasn't one of his fondest memories.

"But if you're right, then why does he never _talk_ to me?" she complained.

"He's probably too shy," Marth reasoned. Zelda nodded.

"Maybe you're right. I have a plan, anyway, to get with him this Christmas." She caught Marth's suspicious gaze. "Don't worry, it won't harm him. Not if he likes me already."

"You're not going to give him a truth potion too, are you?"

Zelda smiled. "No, I wouldn't be _that_ cruel –"

"Hey –!"

"But I was thinking along the lines of –" This time she cut _herself_ off as the man himself walked in and caught sight of them both. Zelda waved at him, feigning innocence. Link walked over.

"Hi Zelda. Hi Marth." His gaze flicked between them, perhaps suspecting that he'd interrupted something, but then got distracted by the Rubix cube.

"Oh, it's one of those things!" He picked it up, admiring it, then looked to Marth for permission. "Mind if I…?"

Marth shrugged. "I don't mind. If you can," he muttered.

Link paused, examined it, then began to rotate the faces around systematically. He worked fast, twisting different sections, and pretty quickly the colours were starting to collect together on their separate faces. In just over a minute he'd finished it. Each face shone brightly with its own uncontaminated colour, positively _beaming_ with victory. Marth stared at him, awed but still irritated enough to notice Zelda's far more appreciative expression.

"Wow," she breathed. "That's amazing."

Link shrugged, then grinned, not humble in the slightest. "I guess it is."

She turned to Marth. "I thought those things were really difficult?"

Marth glowered at her. "They are."

Link put the Rubix cube back down on the table, his eyes playful. "No need to be put out, Marth."

Marth was silent for a long moment, sulking. "Well my sword's bigger than yours," he retaliated childishly.

Link raised an eyebrow. "Oh really?"


	7. Day 7

_A/N: On reflection, I do remember seeing a comic like one that some people have mentioned, which probably partly inspired the previous Rubix cube chapter. Disclaimer: all relevant credit to the comic then._

_Yes, I am still accepting any object suggestions you may have, though these will probably not appear until next week or may be intertwined with pre-planned chapters._

_Take Me To Norway, if you're still there, are you suggesting Ike's headband as a reference to the ribbon joke in the stapler chapter, or as part of something else?_

_I have also included 2 of ADashOfInsanity's suggestions in today's drabble._

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><p><strong>Day 7.<strong>

**In which we give Marth malfunctioning hair straighteners.**

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><p>It was not going to be a good day for Marth.<p>

He felt extremely self-conscious as he entered school, head bent low over his books, not that that would hide it. _Please, __please, __let __no __one __notice __me._

As if there was any chance of that.

"Marth?"

"Er…uh…uh…"

"Your hair! Oh my!" Peach giggled and put a hand to her mouth.

"My hair straighteners wouldn't work," he mumbled.

"Oh _Marth._ It's so pretty and wavy! These ends here – they're almost ringlets." She teased out one of the strands from behind his ear and twiddled it in her fingers.

"Er…" He tried to shuffle away but she kept her hold, teasing out a few more strands to admire.

"Math, you're so _pretty_! Hey, Zelda!"

Zelda, who had just arrived, turned at the sound of Peach's voice and her lips parted a little in surprise.

"Is…?"

"It's Marth!"

"Seriously? And all this time I thought it was natural…Here, let me see." She hurried over and spun Marth around so that she could admire it properly.

"Wow. Take the hairband out, I want to know –"

"_No,_" Marth said firmly.

"You've got it all tied back, I can't admire it. Here –"

"_No!_"

Peach darted around him whilst Zelda was talking though, and in one swift motion pulled the hairband free. His hands swept up to his hair immediately to hide it, but both girls quickly pulled his wrists down and titled their heads to the side, admiring his accidental new look.

His hair bounced around him a multitude of soft waves, some of them curling around completely to form soft, loose ringlets. He looked back at them nervously.

"Can I have my hairband back now…?"

"No," Zelda grinned, indicating for Peach to lift it deftly out of Marth's reach as he made a grab for it.

"Please…"

"You look so girly!"

Marth coloured. "Please!" he protested desperately. "I can't go around school like this!" _If __any __of __the __boys __saw __him__…_

"The curls just frame your cheeks so angelically," she continued, ignoring him. "There's no way you can get away with being 'manly' with hair like that anyway, even tied up."

She was right. The shorter parts kept escaping and curling around his cheekbones anyway, and the rest of it spread luxuriously out across his back after the ponytail, a fest of delicate feminine waves.

"What can I _do_?"

"You could pass off as a _girl_," she said after a moment's thought.

"What?" His voice came out an octave too high.

"Perfect," Zelda smiled, and took hold of his arm.

They dragged him to the girls' toilets, which was awkward enough – though thankfully no one else was currently in there.

"No, no, I am not doing this –"

"Would you rather look like a girly man and have everyone laugh at you, or disguise yourself as a girl for the day and have no one know any better?"

Marth hesitated.

"Found it!" Peach pulled a blue nail varnish out of her make up bag. "It'll match your hair beautifully."

"And I think I have a spare dress…" Zelda added.

"Zelda, I am not –"

"Yes you are."

"I am n–"

"Marth, look me in the eye and tell me you've never wanted to try this anyway."

"I –"

"Here, dress."

"Why do you have a spare –"

"Hurry up. The sooner you change the less you'll look like a boy in the girl's toilets." She raised an eyebrow meaningfully.

"And when you're done I'll do your nails!" Peach called after him.

He finished changing uneasily, desperately unsure if this really was the best course of action. But it was getting progressively harder to turn back and he was, despite himself, somewhat flattered by the girls' attentions and professions about how pretty he was. Said girls escorted him out of the toilets a few minutes later, and began walking him down the corridor.

Less than ten paces later he freaked.

"Oh god I can't do this Zelda I'm going back right now there is no way you are making me go through with this give me my hairband back there has to be another –" He cut himself off, choked, as the sound of boys' voices came from around the corner. Oh, no… He turned back to the girls.

"Hide me!" he hissed.

Zelda just smirked. Marth didn't dare to turn around as he heard the footsteps draw closer, hoping the group of boys would walk straight past. No such luck.

"Zelda, did you manage to finish your half of the Biology research?" _Ike, __that __was __Ike, __oh __god._

"Oh, yes. Just finished it last night."

"That's good then." Ike hesitated, obviously addressing Marth. "And, I'm sorry, you are…?" Marth didn't answer, didn't dare to turn around. Zelda nudged him. _What __was __he __supposed __to __do?_ Hoping, _praying_, that the disguise was as good as the girls proclaimed, he turned around slowly.

"Oh." Ike's voice was neutral. His eyes widened a little initially, but then he blinked a few times and said, "Hello. Are you, by any chance…Elisse?"

"Um…yes!" Marth squeaked, terrified.

"Don't be alarmed Miss." He smiled openly. "I thought I saw the family resemblance. I don't know where Marth is at the moment, I'm afraid. Are you just visiting?" He'd softened his voice to a gentlemanly drawl, and Marth was completely captivated.

"Yes, for the day…" he managed at length, keeping his voice at a girly pitch.

"Such a charmer," Link teased from behind Ike. Ike coloured a little.

"I…guess the girls will take care of you," he mumbled. "Have a nice day." He rushed his final words and then the group of boys moved away and down the corridor. Marth looked down at his feet until they had all gone, then looked up at Zelda tentatively.

"Well that worked," she smiled.

The rest of the day passed without incident. Marth kept close to Zelda and Peach, and pretended to be too shy to talk to most other people in case talking to them too long would give them a chance to realise. He felt too self-conscious to do much talking anyway. He noticed, however, how the eyes of the boys occasionally drifted towards him throughout the day, obviously intrigued by the 'visitor.' Thankfully Ike didn't talk to him again, though every now and then he could have sworn he sensed Ike looking away when Marth looked at him, and each time he wore a peculiar small smile, hitched up at one side more than the other, the top lip protruding slightly over the bottom one.

Eventually the day ended and Marth quickly left the classroom and exited the building, desperately heading across the courtyard that would take him back to the accommodation block. He was almost there when he heard a set of running footsteps behind him.

"Elisse."

He turned around and his heart jolted. Ike smiled back at him and then held out a hairband towards him. Confused, Marth took it.

"I managed to get this off the girls. I believe they took it from you."

"Oh, yes, thank you."

"I'm sure I saw Marth in there somewhere. Hopefully you can meet up with him later. I hope today wasn't too inconvenient for you." He held Marth's gaze steadily the whole time he was speaking, looking at him with an odd intensity and meaning that Marth couldn't quite grasp. Marth just nodded, and Ike broke into one last smile before walking away.

Marth slowly made his way back to his room. He was fiddling with his hairband when it clicked, a full minute after he had parted with Ike. He froze where he stood.

"Oh _god_…"

* * *

><p><em>AN: ADashOfInsanity's suggestions were a dress and nail varnish. And hence Marth got the full makeover in this chapter, not just the wavy hair!_


	8. Day 8

**Day 8.**

**In which we give Marth alcohol.**

* * *

><p>The shot glass met the counter top once more, this time with a slightly heavier clunk.<p>

"He _knew_! He _knew_!" Marth wailed, taking another gulp.

"Marth, it's fine, I don't think you should –"

"Oh _god_, he _knew_… What is he going to…nmmpfh…twink of thme?" He took the teaspoon out of the jar of Nutella once more and took another mouthful, his whole body hunched over the kitchen island in misery.

"Marth, comfort eating and alcohol isn't going to –"

"Here, spoon."

"Oh, thank you!" Zelda took the offered teaspoon, dipped it in and took a mouthful. "God, this is delicious."

"Hazelnut-flavoured chocolate spread. Nothing like it." He took another mouthful, and then wailed, "He _knew__…_He must've seen us in the corridor when you first took my hairband – otherwise how would he know you'd taken it – and then he gave it back to me at the end of the day to let me know that he'd seen…no, no, _no_…" he moaned, taking another spoonful of the Nutella. "The alcohol was _your _idea – _hhiiiiicc_ – anyway."

"I didn't think you'd –"

Marth's death glare silenced her. "I am _not_ dwunk."

"Drunk."

"'S what I said." He sniffed. "_I__'__m __sure __I __saw __Marth __in __there __somewhere_. That's what he said. He meant he'd known as soon as he saw me! He recognised me atta first moment!"

"But Marth, it isn't that bad, is it? He didn't expose you there in the corridor right in front of the boys if you're right – he was considerate."

"Expose…" Marth mused, pouring himself another shot.

"_Marth!_"

"But now he'll twink I'ma cross-dresser!" he exclaimed miserably.

"Naw. He probably thinks you're pretty." She grinned, taking another mouthful of chocolate.

"_Zelda_!" His eyes narrowed at her in fury and he brandished his spoon at her like a weapon. Unfortunately, this dislodged the lump of chocolate spread on it onto his lap.

"_Damn_."

"You'll have to change now, silly."

"Never mind," he muttered. Hesitantly, he lifted the hem of his tunic, sticking his tongue out a little.

"You're not going to –"

"Waste it," he interrupted, and with a few deft licks he removed the Nutella.

"_Marth._" She shook her head. "You _must_ be drunk."

"Nooo, stop it." He paused, then pouted. "Gimme a hug." He slumped off the stool and shuffled towards her, arms outstretched.

Zelda stared at him. "Marth, what are you doing?"

"Feel bad. Gimme hug." He looked up at her, big-eyed.

"Marth, no. You're completely drunk! I can't believe this!"

"Hey…!" He swayed a little. "I'm fine. Hee hee. Wanna hug."

"I think we should take you back to your room."

"He _kneeeewwwwww__…__._Waaa, Zelda….Hug me, pwease…"

She took a firm hold of his arm and steered him out of the kitchen, then turned left and out the door into the corridor.

"Right, it's just down the corridor to get to your room. Keep upright, okay?"

"I don' wan' him to twink I'm girly…ooaaahhh –"

"_Upright._"

"Now he'll avoid me, think I'ma fweak… I can't do this Zel'a – _hiiic__ –_"

"Zelda?"

"Hey Peach, can you give me a hand?"

"What happened?"

"He realised Ike knew that he'd been dressing up as a girl yesterday. He was so tense and irritated, pacing everywhere – I thought a little alcohol would relax him a bit."

"Oh no, Zelda…"

Marth looked up at Peach hopefully. "Gimme hug?" He lunged towards her.

"No! Look at the state of you! Awww, Marth – honestly, you should know better!"

Marth's eyes fell, sad. Peach tried to take his arm as he continued to walk down the corridor, a little lopsided. A few other students passed them, giving Marth and odd or disapproving look. Kirby was one of them.

"Hug?" Marth pleaded.

Kirby just walked past, looking a little alarmed. Marth felt awful. All he wanted was a little comfort after his terrible embarrassment – was that too much to ask? He stumbled onwards, his eyes downcast towards the floor. Until he stumbled into a midriff.

_Yay, midriff…_

He wrapped his arms around said midriff and hugged tightly. Finally, someone was giving him some sympathy. He smiled against the fabric of the person's top, enjoying the feeling of warmth at the contact. For some reason Zelda had finally let go of him too, which was an added bonus. Happy, he tilted his head back a little, peeking up at the kind person who had let him have a hug.

Ike.


	9. Day 9

**Day 9.**

**In which we give Marth a jumper.**

* * *

><p>It had come through the post that morning in a charming cardboard box, an early Christmas present from one of Marth's mum's friends, who had continued to send him presents at birthdays and Christmases even after his mother had passed away. She called him 'dear' affectionately, and after he had read the short tag wishing him merry Christmas he turned to the package itself, teasing it free of the box and holding it speculatively in his hands.<p>

It was lightly wrapped in purple tissue paper, a floppy square shaped bundle, and Marth unwrapped it eagerly. When the last of the tissue paper had dropped to the floor Marth was left holding possibly the softest thing on the planet. It was a beautiful turquoise polo neck jumper, and draped itself lovingly over Marth's hands as if asking to be worn. Marth obliged it, pulling it swiftly over his head and snuggling his chin into the polo neck. It smelt nice too, a general clean smell with a hint of roasted hazelnuts and fresh bread.

"Mmm…."

_Knock knock._

"Oh go away," Marth muttered under his breath, still enjoying the cuddly feeling of the jumper around him, snuggling him from all angles.

_Knock knock._

"Fine, fine, I'm coming…" He forced his hands down to his sides as he walked to the door and pulled it open. He had the door halfway shut again when an arm shot in, blocking it from shutting completely.

"Come on Marth, walk to class with me."

"Go away Zelda, I'll come on my own later."

"Later? It's time to go."

"_I__'__ll_ go after _you__'__ve_ gone."

"Marth –"

"Zelda I'm not talking – _Zelda!_"

Zelda forcibly pushed herself in through the door and closed it behind her. She looked at him apologetically. "Come on Marth…"

"Don't give me that! You got me drunk and thanks to you I embarrassed myself _again_! I don't want to talk to you! Go away!"

"I'm sorry, please…It was your own doing anyway!"

"And the truth potion? And the dress?"

"Aw, Marth, I only wanted to –"

"I'm not listening!"

"Marth…" Zelda looked at him pityingly and then stepped forwards and embraced him, pulling him close. Marth startled for a moment, not knowing how to feel. Her intentions had been good, he supposed, but their consequences… He sighed, eventually raising his arms to hug her back.

"You could have hugged me _before__…_" he muttered.

"Mmm, Marth, you're so _soft_…"

"It's the jumper…"

"It's so _soft._"

"Yes." He waited another moment. "You can let go now…"

"Mmm, soft…"

"Zelda…"

"What is it made of?"

"I don't know."

"It's like the softest softest loveliest thing ever…"

"Thanks. Now let go, I have to go to class." He dropped his arms and attempted to push her away, but she clung fast around his waist, rubbing her cheek against the jumper. Shuffling around her he managed to grab his bag and get the door open, stumbling awkwardly into the corridor.

"Zelda, let _go_!"

"Mmm."

He made awkward progress down the corridor, trying to ignore her as she clung on like a limpet. A little further down they were met by Peach, who looked at Zelda with an understandably puzzled expression.

"Zelda, what are you doing?"

"Peach, you have to come here and hug Marth. It's his jumper – it's just so…_soft._"

Peach looked between them hesitantly, then as curiosity got the better of her she edged closer to Marth and wrapped her arms around him.

"Mmm, you're right. Marth, it's so soft…"

"Yes, I know…let go…hey…"

Both girls were now firmly attached, though Peach at least shifted her attentions to one of his arms. He tried to walk onwards, hoping it would deter or at least embarrass them, but they didn't even seem to notice. Nor did either of them let go. Why did everything have to go against him? When he'd wanted hugs yesterday no one had hugged him, and now that he could do without they wouldn't let go.

"Zelda, Peach, would you please –"

"Kirby! Come over here and hug Marth!" Peach exclaimed, catching sight of the pink-haired boy coming out of one of the lounges.

"Eh?"

"He's really soft! Come on!"

"Um…" Kirby bit his bottom lip, wavering a little with curiosity at the image of the three of them, and then with a quick glance around he also walked over to Marth and hugged him, stiff-armed.

Marth sighed. "Well?"

"Wow," Kirby whispered, and Marth felt him relax, his arms tightening around Marth. He was standing completely in front of Marth, too, not hugging from the side like Zelda or Peach, and preventing any further progress.

"Kirby…"

"Marth, it's so soft…"

"Er…"

"Hey! Pit!"

_No, this couldn't be happening…_

Moments later Pit was also embracing him, this time from behind, his face buried in Marth's shoulder. Marth was blushing, both embarrassed and a little pleased at the attention, but nevertheless highly self-conscious.

"Everyone, could you let go? I need to get to class…" he began timidly.

"**May ****I?**"

Marth froze, alarmed, as he saw MetaKnight advancing towards him. Surely _he_ wasn't going to…?

"_**Soft.**_**"**

Okay, this was actually slightly terrifying.

"Please let go…please?" He shifted a little, trying to pry one of his arms free. "Please?"

For a long moment there was no movement, and then one by one, starting with Zelda, they slowly let go and stepped back, finally beginning to look a little embarrassed with their own momentary infatuation. Marth rubbed his hands over his arms nervously, wondering if he should take the jumper off for his own safety. But as soon as they let go it seemed that the incident was forgotten – they grouped together and walked off, chatting between themselves and leaving Marth to follow behind. He watched them retreat, bewildered. What _was_ this jumper made of anyway? He began to lift up one end of it in search of a label when a new voice interrupted him.

"What about me?"

Marth jerked upright instantly, letting the hem of his jumper drop as he blushed intensely. It was Ike of course, watching him as he waited for an answer, his expression patient and amused. _Where __had __he __come __from?_

"I…uh…um… We've already hugged twice," Marth answered lamely, before blushing even deeper. "I m-mean, I didn't mean to, er… I…"

"That's okay." Ike smiled gently.

"It was just the sugar…and then Zelda got me drunk…" He blushed, if it was possible, deeper still, lowering his head in shame.

Ike smiled, moving closer to Marth, then reached out and gently plucked at the fabric of Marth's new jumper with two fingers. "They're right," he acknowledged. "It _is_ soft."

Marth swallowed, desperately trying to retain a sense of focus. "I…Before, I… I'm sorry!" he squeaked.

"That's alright." Ike looked up at him but Marth quickly looked down, unable to meet his gaze. He still couldn't believe he'd hugged Ike twice now in moments of madness, nor could he deny that part of him desperately hoped Ike would hug him again now. He stared down at his feet nervously.

There was a soft, low chuckle, and then Marth felt two large hands on his waist, pulling him forwards. Marth tensed, leaning lightly on Ike's chest as Ike's hands slid around his back, his strong arms fastening around Marth and pulling him closer until he was pressed fully against him. Marth's hands were up in front of him, resting tenuously against Ike's chest as he dropped his head ever so slightly against Ike's collarbone.

A few moments later Ike released him easily, and Marth felt a sudden rush of heat surge through him at the absence, as if his every nerve had been left flustered by the experience.

"Just thought it should be _my _turn to hug _you_," Ike commented. Then he gave a sudden, heart-stopping grin before stepping past Marth and walking away.

For perhaps a minute Marth remained rooted where he stood, as if he'd forgotten how to move. Then he slowly wrapped his arms around himself, feeling jittery and happy and bereft all at once.

He wasn't sure he'd ever be able to take the jumper off.


	10. Day 10

**Day 10.**

**In which we give Marth a vibrator.**

* * *

><p>Saturday 10th December, and the traditional December jumble sale was taking place in the main courtyard. Around fifty tables had been laid out, and all of the students involved were working eagerly to set up before the sale began. Some of the other students had come early to help their friends and others simply to check out the stock. Marth was just realigning some of his books when he saw Zelda stumble over to his table carrying a large cardboard box. Shortly behind her came Peach, with a slightly smaller box, and behind her Samus, who seemed to be pushing an entire wheelbarrow of various items.<p>

"Hey Marth. Look, we've got a bit of a problem…"

"What? Why? Your table's just here, there's plenty of room."

"No, no, that's not it." Samus puffed to a halt and put the wheelbarrow down, putting her hands on her hips and stretching her back.

"Then what is it?"

"There's a music concert on in town – exclusive! Snake is going to be singing!"

"Basically we can't make it," Zelda supplied whilst Samus began to jump up and down in excitement.

"Sorry!" Peach chirped, dumping her box on the small space at the edge of Marth's table.

"You said you were going to help me!" Marth protested.

"We didn't realise that the concert was today! Please, Marth, forgive us. But we can't miss Snake!"

"No, that's not fair!"

"Marth, please. We'll help you lay stuff out quickly, but we have to go!" Zelda pleaded, shifting her stuff over onto the neighbouring table and beginning to unpack various items in a rush.

"He's in town for the whole day, it's a one day only thing! He's signing autographs in the town hall before the concert!" Peach added, taking some of her own things out to put on the table.

"You can't make me sell all your stuff for you! Hey!"

"Sorry Marth!" Peach and Zelda finished unpacking in a hurry, then without a backward glance hurried away from the courtyard and left him behind at the tables. Marth half wanted to pursue them – but who would tend the tables then? He doubted the girls would come back to resume their responsibility. With a sigh he looked down at the two tables, one little more than a messy heap. _Where had Samus gone?_ he wondered suddenly. Looking around quickly told him she was nowhere to be found. Her wheelbarrow of goods however, had been left untended beside the table. So they'd just left him all the goods and gone off to the concert, then. He sighed, walking around the edge of the table and looking into the wheelbarrow. _How much stuff was in there?_ With a deep breath he began to lift some of the pieces out and place them on the table, arranging them reluctantly but efficiently, knowing that he didn't have much time left before the sale.

"Need a hand?"

"Oh, Pit. Thank you," Marth breathed gratefully as the brunette put his hands to helping Marth to lift more items out of the wheelbarrow.

"Who left you with this lot?"

"Samus and the girls," Marth muttered. "Apparently there's a full day music concert in town that they can't afford to miss."

"Ah, Snake. I think I heard about that. Sorry that you got left with the sales," he sympathised, placing a small porcelain doll next to a hand painted milk jug.

They worked in silence for a few minutes until they neared the end of the huge pile that Samus had left them with. Pit lifted up one of the boxes near the bottom and inspected it curiously.

"Marth, what is this?"

Marth glanced at it briefly, then blushed. "I – I can't sell that!"

"What is it?" Pit inspected the packaging a bit closer – a bit too close for Marth's liking, and he felt his colour heighten as realisation dawned on Pit's face.

"Oh! It's a vibrator." He said the word easily, not even blushing in the slightest. Marth stared at him. Was it possible that Pit could be so unbothered? Well, it wasn't _him_ that had to sell it, he supposed.

"Put it back in the wheelbarrow!" he hissed.

"And then what? How do you intend to give it back to Samus then?" Pit asked lightly.

Marth turned an even deeper shape of pink. "I…I don't know!"

"You might as well just sell it and pretend you didn't realise it was there."

"How could I not realise! I'm the only one looking after these tables!"

Pit shrugged. "Pretend you haven't. It's obvious you've just got a random heap of stuff – you couldn't possibly have looked at all of it."

Marth looked a bit awkward, but agreed.

The sale got fully underway by around half an hour later, and soon various items were selling well and Marth began to collect money in his little pot. It was a nice bright day, despite the December chill, and Marth smiled at each student, encouraging them to buy any piece that caught their eyes. He might have appeared bright and happy, but inside he was merely aware that he had surely three times as many items to sell as any one else, and he wanted to finish and get back inside where it was warm as soon as possible. His fingers felt numb even inside his gloves. The school had a large hall that they could surely conduct the sale in if they wanted to, but on the very first sale so many years ago the hall had been undergoing renovation and so the sale had been held outside, and every December after it had accidentally become tradition. Marth was busy mulling over the absence of logic in this when a familiar voice interrupted him.

"You've got a lot of stuff to sell."

Ike. Marth looked up immediately. "Y…yes," he managed, feeling suddenly shy as he always did when Ike was around. He felt his stomach lurch as he saw Ike reach for the vibrator, followed by a totally embarrassing rush of heat as his mind desperately clawed away from the image.

"I, uh – that's not mine!" he blurted out.

Ike merely raised an eyebrow, sending both Marth's heart and stomach fluttering violently.

"How much is it?"

He surely wasn't –

"I, er…I, um, er, i-it's…" Marth stammered.

"Yes?" Ike smiled at him expectantly.

"I, I, um…that, that is, I mean, it's…"

Ike laughed suddenly, and clapped Marth's shoulder. "I'm only joking." He winked and Marth blushed. Ike put the vibrator back down on the table. "You should have seen your face."

Marth took a deep breath. "That…wasn't funny."

"Wasn't it? Then you thought I seriously –"

"No! No! I, uh, no! I just, no, sorry, that…"

Ike laughed again, and held his hands up for Marth to stop. "I know." He smiled, and picked up a mug instead. "Here, I think I'll get this."

The transaction complete Ike left him alone to his stall and wandered off towards other tables. Marth soon calmed himself, and managed to sell a good proportion of what remained of the girls' stuff as the sale drew to its close around midday. Then at last he packed up the remainder of the products into their boxes and was about to leave when he heard Pit call out,

"Hey, Marth! Is that vibrator still for sale?"


	11. Day 11

_A/N: Today's drabble was suggested by ADashOfInsanity._

* * *

><p><strong>Day 11.<strong>

**In which we give Marth a cat.**

* * *

><p>Marth yawned as he pulled on his leggings. It was too early to be awake for a Sunday, really, but he didn't feel like sleeping. He rubbed his eyes and then hunted around for Zelda's straighteners. They were her old pair, and were not as hot, efficient or hair-friendly as her new pair, but they did the job. She had been going to put them in the sale but after Wednesday's wavy incident she'd given them directly to Marth instead.<p>

Having straightened his hair he tied it neatly in front of the mirror and made sure his clothes were smooth. He was just pulling on his socks in preparation to head to the kitchen when he heard it.

_Meoowww._

It was a quiet, plaintive sound. Marth wondered if it had been in his imagination for a moment – he loved cats, and every now and then he pretended he had one.

_Meoowww._

No, this was an actual cat. His imaginary cat never sounded that unhappy. He glanced around and pretty soon he saw it – a slim ginger cat, looking at him with big eyes from the other side of his window. As he watched it meowed again, louder this time. He walked over to the window and opened it hopefully. To his delight the cat purred and stepped in onto the windowsill, looking back at him with wide eyes.

"Hello," Marth greeted softly, reaching one hand out to stroke it behind the ears. It purred appreciatively, moving further into the room. Marth closed the window behind it and lifted it up gently in his arms, cradling it like a baby.

"You're a pretty kitty, aren't you?" He checked around its neck for a collar, but there was none. "Are you a stray, my lady?" He moved to the bed, letting the cat rest in his lap. For a few minutes he stroked it happily, the cat purring contentedly as he smoothed over the fur on her back. But after a little while his stomach rumbled, disturbing his peace. He sighed, unwilling to leave the cat behind to get breakfast. Thinking for a moment he retrieved his schoolbag and emptied it – it was Sunday anyway – and gently lowered the cat inside. He should give the cat a name, he mused, as he lifted the bag gently and headed out of his room and down the corridor towards the girls' kitchen.

"Morning Marth!" Zelda greeted cheerily, raising a cup of coffee in his general direction as he entered. He frowned at her.

"Where's everyone else?"

"There was a concert yesterday, remember? Peach and Samus are still sleeping. Or maybe they never slept. I don't know."

"Shouldn't you be sleeping then?"

She raised the coffee cup again. "Caffeine. What about Pit?"

"He wasn't in the room when I woke up – I think he hung over at one of the boys' rooms last night."

"Oh. Hey, why are you carrying your schoolbag on a Sunday?"

Marth gave a little smile and walked over to her, showing her the cat.

"Oh, that's adorable! Does it – he, she – have a name?"

"She. And no, I can't see a collar on her."

"You'll have to name her."

"I can't think of anything."

"Well, whatever. Leave me be before the caffeine wears off. I'm tired and grumpy."

Marth sighed, and tucked the nameless feline back inside his schoolbag, grabbing a few croissants before heading back to his room. He loosed the cat and lay back on the bed for a moment, wondering how he should spend the day. The cat leapt up on the bed beside him, curling against his side. He stroked it absently, and had almost decided on continuing his English coursework when there was a soft knock at the door. Marth assumed it was Pit coming back, just knocking to check he wasn't halfway through changing or something.

"Come in!" he called.

The door opened. Marth leapt off the bed as if he'd been electrocuted. "Oh! Ike…"

"Should I go? You said –"

"No, it's fine – I thought you were Pit." Marth blushed.

Ike shrugged awkwardly. "I, uh…Aahh!" He leapt backwards as the cat chose this moment to leap deftly down from the bed, winding itself around Marth's legs.

"Ike?"

"I, uh…I don't do cats. I'm allergic and…I just don't…"

"She won't bite," Marth reassured, surprised by Ike's reaction. "Are you badly allergic?" he asked, worried.

"I…they make me sneeze if I get too close, and my skin goes red if I stroke one."

"But you can be in the same room as one, right?" Marth ventured hopefully.

"Er…yes," Ike acknowledged reluctantly.

"Oh, that's okay then. She's just a stray who turned up outside my window this morning. Let me just…um…go and wash my hands then. I don't think she'll pounce on you or anything," he smiled, heading briefly into the bathroom. He splashed some water on his face whilst he was there. _Ike was in his room!_ _Stay calm Marth, stay calm._ A few moments later he headed back into the bedroom, only to find Ike perched tensely on the edge of his bed, staring towards the door. Marth followed his gaze. The cat was sitting just in front of it, the tail flicking from side to side. It seemed to be eyeing Ike intently. Marth couldn't help but laugh, and Ike startled at the sound.

"Sorry," Marth apologised. "It looks like you two are having a stare out."

Ike managed a smile. "I guess so."

Marth tilted his head to one side. "I don't want you to get ill or anything, if you like I can put the cat back outside," he offered, his face falling a little as the prospect. Part of him had hoped he could keep the cat for company, at least for the rest of the day. But he forced himself to look more positive – Ike was far more important.

"No, it's not that bad." Ike shifted a little on the bed, finally looking away from the cat and smiling at Marth. "I was just wondering, seeing as it's Sunday, and I have nothing to do, if you – aaahh! No!" The cat had moved away from the door and was walking towards them lazily. Ike stood abruptly, backing away from it. "Get that thing away from me! It'll scratch my eyes out!" he panicked.

"Ike?" Marth looked at him, confused by his choice of words and the look of fear on his face.

"Please!"

"Eh? Don't yell, you've frightened her! See, her ears have gone back." Marth went over to the cat and scooped it up in his arms, looking between it and Ike with an expression of bewilderment. "She's harmless."

"It's a stray! How do you know?"

"She's fine. Most cats just want to sleep –"

"It'll attack, I'm telling you. Get it away!"

"Ike…" Marth paused for a moment and waited for Ike to meet his gaze. "Ike, are you actually…_afraid_ of cats?"

"I'm…I'm allergic…"

"But you seem worried that she'll attack you, not cause an allergic reaction," Marth reasoned.

Ike reddened. "I…" He ran a hand through his hair. "Ok, you got me." He grimaced. "Don't tell."

Marth laughed. "Ike? Ike, afraid of cats?"

Ike clenched his jaw, looking chagrined.

"Sorry, I just…sorry." Marth calmed his smile and looked affectionately down at the cat. "I swear she's harmless. Come, see? I'll hold her still; she won't do anything."

Ike swallowed and walked over to where Marth was standing. The cat had her eyes closed, purring contentedly in Marth's arms.

"See?"

"Hmmph."

"Do you want to stroke her?"

"No, I think I'll…pass."

"Why don't you like cats?"

"I just don't," Ike muttered.

Marth suppressed a smile. Ike shrugged.

"I suppose…Well, when I was little I was stroking a stray by the roadside. Then a large lorry drove by and the cat freaked all of a sudden, hissed and scratched my face. Claws caught me just above the eye." He pointed with a finger to a small white scar under his left eyebrow that Marth hadn't noticed until now. "I guess I just don't trust them now."

"That was the lorry's fault, not the cat's," Marth replied, angry at whichever lorry driver it was that caused Ike to form a bad relationship with one of his favourite animals.

"I know…" Ike shrugged. "This one looks pretty contented though. Maybe it's because you're hugging it."

Marth blushed, and Ike smiled at him, making him blush more.

"Oh," Marth said a second later, eyes widening as his mind backtracked to Ike's entrance into his room in the first place. "Did you want to talk to me about something?"

Ike hesitated. "Uh…oh, you know, just because it's Sunday…" He shrugged. "I thought we could hang out, maybe."

"Oh…sure."

Ike paused. "They sell really good hot dogs around the corner," he suggested awkwardly.

"Oh, okay – let me get my scarf…" Marth gently put the cat down but Ike didn't seem as bothered this time so he hurried quickly to get his scarf and shoes.

When he returned to the room, however, Ike was standing stone still in the centre of the room, staring towards the door, which the cat had once more decided to sit in front of. Marth went up behind him and tapped him gently on the shoulder.

"Ike?"

Ike looked at him, sighed, and they both laughed.

"I guess we should let the cat out," Marth said. They both looked back towards the cat with a smile.

The cat looked back at them both, smug.


	12. Day 12

**Day 12.**

**In which we give Marth a banana.**

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><p>Marth ran faster, his feet pounding on the stone slabs as he sped across the courtyard, scarf whipping behind him in the wind. He turned around the corner of the science block, catching a whiff of iodine as he ran onwards, nervously glancing over his shoulder in the vague hope that he was managing to outrun his pursuer.<p>

Breakfast had never been so eventful.

He never normally had breakfast in the canteen, that was the thing. Normally he just ate some cereal or an apple in the girls' kitchen, but today, just for a change, he had bought a banana from the canteen instead. Unfortunately, it also happened to be the _last_ banana, and the person behind him happened to be Donkey Kong. And so.

His tunic caught on a bush as he rounded the school's personal garden. Luckily the twig snapped and Marth ran onwards, taking sharp breaths and trying to ignore the increasing roar behind him. How was he ever going to outrun this guy? He broke away from the path between the buildings, racing past the indoor sports block and dashing out across the grass. But Donkey Kong was gaining on him, and looking furious about it.

It looked like there was nowhere left to run. It was only the football field remaining, tucked right at the back of the school. Marth had run himself into a trap. Still, he continued to run along the edge of the football field, his legs gradually tiring. He was going to get caught, he was going to get caught…

But when a few seconds later he wasn't knocked to his feet by an angry Donkey Kong he looked back over his shoulder in bewilderment, then slowly reduced his run to a walk before turning back. Donkey Kong lay unconscious on the grass several metres behind, a football rolling away from him to one side and suggesting the cause of his current state. Someone must have kicked that football pretty hard. Marth secretly smiled at his good fortune.

"Nice one!" called one of the footballers.

"Thanks," replied another. A blue haired other, that was currently walking towards him. "How's my aim?" he grinned.

"You…" Marth pointed at the unconscious Donkey Kong. "Deliberately?"

Ike pulled a face. "He looked like he was about to rip you apart. He should be okay… Are you alright?"

"I guess…thanks to you."

"You might want to eat that banana before he wakes up."

"Oh…yes." Marth peeled it quickly and took a bite. It gave him a good excuse to be silent whilst he admired Ike in his sporting gear, shorts and t-shirt showing off his defined muscles despite the fact that it was winter. "Good aim," he said at last.

"Thanks."

They both looked towards Donkey Kong's unconscious form. His chest was rising and falling evenly, as if he was simply sleeping. Marth finished the banana quickly.

"You could have just given him the banana," Ike shrugged. "Then you wouldn't have had to run and he wouldn't have had to be unconscious."

"You didn't have to…" Marth tried lamely.

"I did though, didn't I?" Ike smiled. "I couldn't have you getting hurt."

Marth blushed. "I could have fought him," he mumbled.

Ike opened his mouth as if to deny it or ask why he had run in the first place then, but instead he paused and said, "I guess so. I should have thought of that – I'd rather like to watch you fight."

Marth blushed again.

"Perhaps _we _could fight sometime."

Marth blushed even further, his mind taking another route.

"It's been a while since I've done much swordplay."

Marth was positively scarlet. _Stop __it, __Marth!_ But he couldn't help it – his raving crush was running everywhere with the imagery. Zelda was obviously having a bad influence on him. It was always Zelda's fault. It had nothing to do with the way Ike said the words, of course – Ike couldn't possibly be _flirting_ with him.

"Ike, are you coming?"

Ike turned back towards the football pitch. "Just a sec!" He turned back to Marth and patted him on the shoulder. "Be careful whose banana you grab next time," he advised with a wink.


	13. Day 13

_A/N: Thanks to all of you that have reviewed so far! I know these are only drabbles, but I really appreciate it. :) (I've never written so consistently before in my life…)_

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><p><strong>Day 13.<strong>

**In which we give Marth a fly swat.**

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><p>Marth was just about to get started on his homework when there was a sharp knock on the door.<p>

"Yes?"

"Is that Marth? It's Roy."

_Roy?_ "Come in."

Roy opened the door and peeked in at him. "Sorry to bother you. Pit told me you were meant to be pretty agile at these things. Do you mind coming?"

Marth was completely confused. "Coming where?"

"To the common room." He beckoned. Marth stood and followed him.

"What for?" he asked once they were underway.

"Oh, Link accidentally knocked over a badly screwed up honey jar before school and now there are flies everywhere. We've tried swatting them but they're evilly evasive. Pit said you would be good at it, so I was sent to see if you could help."

Marth was both pleased with the compliment and somewhat underwhelmed by the task. He really could be doing more productive things with his evening than swatting flies – flies that weren't even his fault.

There were two major common rooms in the school, and the one Roy was taking him to now was the one he spent least time in – Zelda and Peach generally hung out in the other common room. He felt somewhat nervous as he entered – this common room was more boy-dominated, intentionally or unintentionally, and the usual group of friends, including Ike, were relaxing in one corner. Right now they were passing around roasted peanuts, swatting the occasional passing fly with textbooks or newspapers. Pit was doing the most energetic work – he was the only one properly armed with a fly swat and he was currently chasing flies around the room with a vengeance. The flies, it seemed, were evading everyone, and in neglected moments easily returned to their feast of honey. Pit saw him first.

"Ah, Marth! Come and help with the swatting!"

"Hi Pit." He paused, looking at the upset honey jar. "Why don't you just take the honey away?"

"Ssshhh!" Pit pressed the fly swat hurriedly into his hand. "It's…more fun this way," he encouraged.

Marth sighed. "Pit, I have homework –"

"Come on. What, you don't think you can catch them?"

That riled Marth a bit. "Well of course I can –"

"Go on then." Pit beamed at him.

Marth sighed and glanced around the room. There were at least a dozen of them, all flying around energetically, aggravated by the other boys' failed attempts at swatting. Ike stood up in an attempt to clap one between his hands, missing it by several centimetres. Marth flicked the end of his fly swat towards it and brought the offending fly down to the floor, where it was crushed against the carpet. His eye caught another one and he swatted it out of the air, bringing it down over someone's rucksack. Then he twisted, spying another, and caught it against a chair leg, another onto the mantelpiece, and two further flies in one deadly stroke against the side of a sofa. With a deft leap he pinned another to a lazing textbook and then took down several more in quick succession, finally finishing with a nimble jump onto the arm of the sofa to splat the last remaining pest against the back wall. The whole effort took under a minute and Marth stepped down from the arm of the sofa having finished, intending to pass the fly swat back to Pit so that he could get back to his homework. But instead he was startled by a sudden, irrhythmical outburst of clapping. He glanced around, curious as to what had happened, but then realised that they were clapping at _him_. Apparently his fly swatting efficiency looked more impressive than it felt. He blushed slightly, looking down at his feet.

"That was incredible!" Roy praised. "God, you were so fast! I never knew you had it in you!"

"Especially the final jump onto the arm of the sofa!" added Link, who had also been clapping.

"We were chasing those things for ages! Neat job!"

"**Nice.**" Meta Knight's voice had never failed to alarm Marth slightly, but that had only half the effect of the following voice.

"That's some agility you've got."

Marth turned around to find Ike smiling at him. His heart leapt with pleasure. "Th-thank you."

"It was very impressive," Ike said frankly, still grinning.

Marth wasn't quite sure what to say. "I don't like flies," he mumbled eventually.

Ike laughed. "You must have sharp reflexes."

"I…suppose." Marth wasn't sure he'd ever been complimented so much, and for something that seemed so trivial, too. Ike seemed to sense his puzzlement.

"It looked much more impressive than you think," he explained. "You were so swift to leap everywhere – it was like you barely had to see one before it was dead. You didn't chase them at all – you just _pinned_ them."

Marth blushed, and was trying to think of something to say when he got distracted by the sight of Pit sitting just a little way behind Ike with a decidedly smug smile on his face. _Why –?_

"Anyway, thanks for your help. I don't mean to keep you if you have to go somewhere – but you can relax here for a while if you want," Ike offered.

Marth was almost tempted to take him up on the offer, but his mind dragged itself unwillingly back towards the Chemistry homework that was waiting for him back in his room.

"No, I have to finish some homework," he admitted. "But you're welcome…for the flies."

"Ok." Ike smiled, then turned as if to head back to the sofa where it looked like Meta Knight had something to say to him. Marth sighed, resigning himself to returning back to his room, but at the last moment he saw a stray fly drift around from the back of the sofa and land deftly on Ike's back pocket. Annoyed to have missed one Marth's fly squat arm flicked out automatically, squashing the fly dead with a satisfying _smack._

It was only when Ike gave a small jump and spun around that Marth realised what he'd done.

"Marth?"

_Let the ground devour me._ Marth was too embarrassed to speak, and for two seconds he was seriously contemplating bolting out of the room there and then, racing back to his bedroom, flinging himself on his bed and sobbing into his pillow for half an hour whilst cursing his utter idiocy. But after a shaky breath he managed, "There…was a fly…on your trousers."

Ike raised an eyebrow. "I should hope there still is," he teased.

Marth was so caught up in his embarrassment that it took him a good few seconds to realise what Ike meant.

"Did you get it then?" Ike prompted, one eyebrow still raised.

It took Marth a moment longer to realise he meant the fly and not the joke. "Yes."

"That's alright then. Though I'm sure it still would have been worth a try." He winked.

Marth blushed even further, mumbled something that might have been assent, half-nodded, and fled the room.


	14. Day 14

**Day 14.**

**In which we give Marth an unlocked door.**

* * *

><p>Marth sighed as he gave the table one last wipe before dumping the cloth back over by the sink. It genuinely wasn't his fault – how was he to have known the paint tube would split and splurge red paint everywhere? And now he was finishing school at least half an hour later than everyone else because of it. He'd really wanted to just go back to his room and read his latest book; he'd finished all his homework at lunch break.<p>

Finally he slung his schoolbag over his shoulder and headed out of the classroom, trudging down the stairs and corridors that would take him back to his room. He walked fast and was soon there, and with a sigh of relief he put his hand on the door handle and pushed the door inwards. His legs automatically took one step in, and then he froze. The split second that he stayed there seemed to last for ages. Then he slammed the door shut and walked slowly away, his footsteps dragging. His schoolbag felt heavy on his shoulder.

Okay. He had not been expecting that.

He ghosted down the corridor further, staring at every object that passed as if it could physically push the image from his mind. No good – real life was no way near as vivid as the picture that had now branded itself on his visual cortex.

_Pit should have locked the door_, he thought belatedly.

He drifted outside slowly, inhaling the fresh air and feeling the cool breeze on his hot cheeks. The sound of his footsteps fell rhythmically against the smooth stone of the courtyard.

_"A-aah! Roy! ROY!"_

Marth clapped his hands over his ears, even though the voices were entirely in his head. He wandered down to the lake, shivering a little. But his coat was back in his room – he didn't need to wear it inside school. He definitely wasn't going back for it. Not anytime soon, anyway.

Roy. Pit. Skin.

Marth sunk slowly down onto a bench. Should he have seen this coming? Should he? Roy and Pit. He should know Pit, surely. He was, after all, sharing a room with him. And right now, it would seem, so was Roy. He coughed a little, and rubbed his eyes. How could he not have known that…? And now he knew _that…_ Oh god, how was he ever going to look Pit straight in the eye ever again?

Well now he knew what Pit had bought that vibrator for.


	15. Day 15

_A/N: I'M A FAIL. Sorry guys.  
><em>

* * *

><p><strong>Day 15.<strong>

**In which we give Marth coffee.**

* * *

><p>Marth sat fidgeting on his bed, still unsure of how this had happened. Across from him, at the desk, Ike was doing Maths homework. It was late, and Marth felt like he ought to be going to bed, but he didn't know how to tell Ike to leave. Pit had gone to share Roy's room tonight – something Marth was <em>really<em> not trying to think about – but as Roy and Ike normally shared a room, Ike had consented to swapping places with Pit.

"Um…Ike?"

Ike looked up at him. They hadn't spoken a great deal, both having had homework to do, but now Ike put his pen down. "Yes?"

"Well, um…I…" Marth blushed, glancing at the clock. "I normally go to sleep now," he mumbled.

"Oh." Ike followed his gaze towards the clock, and then he frowned. "But it's only nine o'clock!"

Marth blushed even further. "W-well…" he trailed off.

"Do you always go to sleep this early?" Ike asked, incredulous.

"Yes," Marth admitted reluctantly.

Ike paused a moment. "Well, go ahead. I still have to finish some homework, though."

Marth stood up and went over to the desk, glancing over at the page of the textbook Ike was looking at.

"Where do you need to get to?" he asked.

Ike turned the page and pointed.

"But that'll take you ages!"

Ike shrugged. "An hour or so maybe."

"But won't you get tired?"

Ike gave him a bemused smile and nodded at the mug in front of him. "I've got coffee. Amazing stuff. I could keep going all night if I needed to."

"Really?" Marth frowned.

Ike nodded. "Yeah, not that I'd like to. What, have you never tried it before? It's _brilliant_. Keeps you awake and perfectly alert, as long as you need to be."

"I've tried it…a bit. I didn't like the taste that much," Marth explained. He paused, thinking. "So you could really stay up all night if you drink coffee?"

Ike nodded with a shrug. Marth's mind boggled at the prospect. If he missed just one night's sleep per week that would gain him over nine hours per week! All the work he could get done in that time! Especially in revision periods… He mulled over this for a little while, and pretty soon came to a conclusion.

"I want to try it again," he said.

Ike smiled. "Okay. I'll go get you some." He left the room for a few minutes and then returned, passing a polka dotted mug to Marth before returning to the desk. Marth watched for a moment as Ike got back to work, then slowly took a sip of the coffee. Hmm. It wasn't as bad as he'd remembered. He took another sip.

"It's quite nice actually," he commented after a moment.

"That's good," Ike answered absently, his eyes still on his work. Marth glances at his back, feeling left out. He took another sip of coffee to comfort himself. Ike had to get his homework done, after all. He took another sip, and then a few gulps for good measure. Within half a minute he'd finished the cup. He waited for a moment. Perhaps he did feel a little…perkier. But now he had some energy, he didn't know what to do with it. He didn't feel tired anymore, anyhow. He shifted on the bed a little, restless, suddenly filled with an impulse towards activity. A moment later he decided to use this energy to get up and make himself another cup of coffee.

Back with his second mugful he perched himself on his bed once more and resumed watching Ike. Ike gave no response, still focussed on his Maths homework. Marth was beginning to feel a little bit wound up. Being this close to Ike still had the power to make him feel a little bit nervous and jittery, and the silence and awkwardness only increased this feeling. The effects of the caffeine he was adding to this by just having finished his second mugful of coffee should probably also be taken into account. After a moment Marth stood up and began to walk absently around the room in repetitive circles. After about a minute of this his walking got faster, and a minute after that he was adding in the occasional hop-skip. This finally drew Ike's attention.

"Marth, are you alright?"

"Hmm? Yes, I'm fine." Delighted that Ike was now talking to him Marth walked over to where Ike was sitting and peered over his shoulder at the current Maths problem.

"You need to shift that x term to the other side," he pointed out.

"I know." Ike did so. Marth looked at it.

"You forgot to change the sign."

"Oh." Ike fixed it.

"Don't you think you should have got this done earlier?"

"Mmm."

Marth felt his excitement picking up, increased by the interaction. He looked over more of Ike's work, his caffeine-addled brain firing quick criticisms.

"No, hang on – _that__'__s _four and _that__'__s_ two. You've got your times and divide muddled up." He scanned a little further. "You need to simplify that one. It goes down to five eighths. And on that one your units are wrong – you forgot to convert the one point five into centimetres."

"Okay. Thanks." Ike sounded less enthusiastic. Marth beamed at him. He felt so intelligent, so _fast_. It was as if all his brain functions were suddenly readily available to leap into action at the push of a button. He felt like he could fix anything. He opened his mouth to share this with Ike.

"I feel great! This coffee is amazing! My brain feels so…_speedy._ I feel really responsive. Poke me."

"What?"

"Poke me!"

Ike looked confused but moved as Marth had insisted, only for his hand to be knocked away a split second after he'd begun.

"See! I'm so fast!" Marth exclaimed gleefully.

"Sure," Ike replied neutrally, looking back towards his Maths homework. Marth was somewhat irritated by the gesture. He was aware that he wouldn't normally be irritated, or attention seeking, or jittery, but right now that was just how he _felt_. He wasn't exactly sure why. He decided to get another mug of coffee to mull it over.

By the time he returned to the room for the second time he had already drunk half of the new mug's worth of coffee. He began to walk around the room again. Then he paused, and did some star jumps.

"Ike! Ike! Look at me!"

Ike was already staring.

"I need something to do! I should do some work! But I've already done all my work! You haven't! You should have done it earlier! I know! I'll help you!" He shuffled over to the desk in a funny manner and began looking at Ike's work again.

"How much coffee have you had?" Ike asked, sounding a little concerned.

"This is my third cup!" He smiled, then pointed to one of Ike's answers. "That one's wrong! So's that one! So's that one! You need to check your answers! What are you working on now? Oh, that's interesting! Oh, oh, that one's hard! Hang on, I've got it! No wait, I haven't! I know, I'll get some more coffee!"

"Er, I'm not sure that's a good idea. You seem to be a little sensitive to the caffeine…"

"Caffeine! That's what it is! It's wonderful! I'm going to tell everybody about it! Tomorrow! I'll tell them tomorrow!"

"I probably shouldn't have made you that first cup, should I?" Ike asked quietly, probably addressing himself.

"Yes! I'll go get another cup of coffee now!" Marth announced brightly.

"No, I don't think you – wait!"

Marth stopped at the door.

"You haven't even finished your current mug of coffee," Ike pointed out. Marth looked at it.

"Oh! Did you want it? Here you go! I'll go make more!"

Ike jumped a little as Marth thrust the mug violently into Ike's hands and then headed out the door again.

A few minutes later Marth was back again, feeling unstoppable. Ike, however, had by this time once more resumed his Maths homework. Marth pouted, then went over to him. He promptly began pointing out yet more errors in Ike's calculation.

"Honestly, Ike, how could you get that one wrong? It's so easy!"

"Mmm."

"And you keep getting the factorising wrong! There! _That_ bit goes outside the brackets!"

"Mmm." At this point Ike took a sip of Marth's previous, half-full and neglected mug of coffee. He blinked, then stared. "Marth, did you do this deliberately?"

Marth stopped for a moment. "Huh?"

"This coffee is _espresso_ strength. It's at least three times more concentrated that it sh– No! Don't drink any more!"

"Huh?"

"Don't you know how to make coffee?"

"Sort of!" Marth shrugged. "You add the coffee and hot water and a bit of milk and stir!"

"How _much_ coffee?"

Marth shrugged again. "Four or five big teaspoons! Like hot chocolate! Am I right?"

"Oh god…"

"It's brilliant, anyway! Really super duper wonderfully wubbly fantastic! Oooh, I just made up a word! Wubbly! Wubbly wubbly wubbly!"

"Didn't it taste bitter?" Ike managed to cut in.

"Yes! Maybe! I don't know! Taste?"

"Marth, I think you should try and calm down…"

"I am calm! I'm fine! I feel great!" He began running around the room for a moment as if to prove his point, then started jumping on the bed.

"Marth…"

"Wheee! _Wheeee!_"

"I guess you're just going to have to…tire yourself out…" Ike trailed off. Marth didn't really hear him. Ike watched for a moment, then with a sigh turned his attention back towards his homework. Marth continued to jump on the bed for a bit before he realised Ike was no longer watching him. He began singing to himself quietly, and then louder. Eventually Ike turned around.

"Marth, do you think you could be a little bit quieter? I still have over ten of these questions to do."

"No problem! I'll help!" Marth leapt down from the bed, peeked over Ike's shoulder and once more pointed out mistakes in Ike's working.

"You should have done this before now!" Marth pointed out again.

"Yes, but it's in tomorrow, so if you could possibly please be qui–"

"_No!_ What are you doing? Gimme!" Marth grabbed Ike's pen and began completing the current question for him, then got distracted and began doodling a unicorn in the upper right hand corner.

"I love unicorns!" he exclaimed. "They're so pretty! And white! And mythical!"

Ike's brief look over amusement was quickly overshadowed by one of weariness. He reached to take his pen back from Marth but Marth danced away as he reached for it, giggling.

"Marth, please."

Marth giggled again. "Come and catch me!"

"Marth, I know you've had too much coffee but…Marth?"

Marth was too busy spinning himself in giddy circles to notice. He did notice, however, when Ike stood up and began to walk towards him. Giggling, he waved the pen and then skipped away, forcing Ike to chase him. Ike did so, reluctantly, but he was slower and more tired and quickly gave up. Marth giggled, still ducking and dodging around the room.

"Marth, please give me my pen back…"

"Come and get it!" Marth laughed again, waving it. "Come on Ike! Chase me! I feel so energetic! I could run forever! I could fly! Like an angel! Do you think I'd make a pretty angel? Then I could fly away with your pen and you'd _never_ catch me!"

"Marth, please, just give me the pen. I'm tired and I need to finish this homework –"

"_Wheeee!_ Look at me go! I'm like an aeroplane!" Marth began to zigzag across the room erratically, not stopping for a moment. "I could go on forev–"

"_MARTH! _STOP!" Ike yelled, breaking suddenly, and Marth froze. The huge bundle of nervous energy he'd accumulated suddenly turned into a horrible leaden feeling in the pit of his stomach, churning uncomfortably. He didn't know what to do with his limbs, which suddenly ached as if from tiredness although he'd never felt more awake in his life. He stared back at Ike, eyes wide, suddenly afraid and ashamed. Ike let out a shaky sigh, and shifted awkwardly where he was standing.

"Marth, I'm sorry. Please, I'm just tired. I'm sorry. I just…this homework…I'm sorry."

"No, I'm sorry," Marth whispered, looking down at his feet. "I'll go to sleep now."

He held the pen out towards Ike and felt him take it. Then he gathered his pyjamas and went to the bathroom to change, trying very hard not to cry. It was only a silly thing, just too much coffee, that was all… He felt very stupid. Having changed into his pyjamas he finally returned to the room, curling up silently in his bed and rolling over to face the wall.

It was a long time before he fell asleep.


	16. Day 16

_A/N: This drabble was suggested by ADashOfInsanity._

* * *

><p><strong>Day 16.<strong>

**In which we give Marth a letter.**

* * *

><p>Marth woke the following morning with a bit of a headache. Then he remembered the coffee. Then he remembered Ike yelling at him.<p>

He pushed himself upright slowly, feeling that it was slightly unfair that now he should feel tired when the whole problem of the previous evening was that he had been too _awake._ With a deep breath he glanced across the room and saw Ike curled up in Pit's bed, still fast asleep. He yawned and looked at the clock. Just gone six o'clock. Far too early to get up yet. He lay back slowly and closed his eyes.

Just over an hour later he woke again, and this time when he sat up and looked across Ike was gone. He felt an odd, empty sense of loss as he glanced at the smoothed bed sheets, half wishing that they had had a chance to speak before Ike had gone.

His train of thought was interrupted, however, when Pit entered the room with a smile and held out a letter towards him.

"I visited the mailing office on my way here. Nothing for me though – just that for you." Pit smiled and sat down on his bed. Marth took the letter and looked at the handwriting on the front. He looked back up at Pit again.

"Have you had breakfast yet?"

"You're procrastinating," Pit teased lightly. "Open it."

Marth cringed. "You recognise the handwriting too?"

Pit's smile widened. "Oh go on, open it. It's not that bad."

"How do you know? Have you read it?"

"No, of course not! But it's not going to be _bad_, is it? Just probably a little…gushing."

Marth blushed a little. He stared down at the envelope for a long moment, then finally opened it and unfolded the piece of paper that was inside. It took him about a minute to read it, and then he quickly tucked it back into the envelope again.

"Well?" Pit prompted.

Marth shrugged, mildly embarrassed. "It was sort of what I expected," he muttered.

Pit grinned. "Can I read it?"

Marth hesitated a moment and then passed it over. Pit scanned it and laughed, then laughed some more.

"It's not funny!" Marth protested.

"Yes it is!" Pit laughed some more. Marth frowned and reached out to snatch the letter back from him.

Just then Ike walked in. His eyes went to Marth first, but then he noticed Pit. Pit beamed up at him, still laughing.

"Hey Ike!"

"Hi Pit. I was just, um, wondering if I could speak to Marth for a minute."

Marth felt his heart begin to pound. How was he even going to _start_ apologising for how stupid he'd been last night? Pit glanced back at Ike.

"Oh, sure."

"What was so funny anyway?" Ike asked as Pit stood up to leave. Pit giggled and pointed towards Marth.

"He just got a _very_ mushy love letter from his _supposed_ fiancée-to-be."

"Oh." Ike looked towards Marth, who quickly looked down at the letter, blushing.

"Yeah," he admitted quietly. "I'd better write her a reply."

Pit quietened a little at this. "Eh? You _never_ reply to her!"

Marth shrugged. "I think I should this time."

"Really? You know you'll only encourage her, even if you just try to be friendly. Don't feel you have to reply just because it's Christmas – _especially_ not now! She'll drown you with presents and rose petals!" Pit giggled.

Marth blushed, then recovered. "No, I want to reply to her this time," he said determinedly. Pit tilted his head to one side, smiling.

"You're in a funny mood today. Well, I'll leave you to it!" He stood and left the room. Marth took his letter over to the desk and sat down, intending to get his reply done and out of the way before school. For a moment he expected to hear Ike leave the room as well, but then he remembered Ike had come into the room to speak to him in the first place. He rotated on his chair, watching nervously as Ike came further into the room.

"So, um…" Ike gestured at the letter vaguely. "Is she nice?"

Marth looked back at him blankly. "Sheeda? Yes, she's nice. Our parents always sort of hoped – well, it's not officially arranged or anything, and I've never really talked to her. But I'm going to write to her now," he confirmed with a small nod.

"But you've never written to her before?"

"No." Marth bit his lip as he glanced at the blank sheet in front of him, trying to think of how he would phrase his reply. He looked back at Ike.

"You know, um…" Ike glanced around the room. "You don't…have to reply to her. Unless, I mean…if you want to." Ike had never looked more awkward. Marth was perturbed by this, but nodded.

"I know, but I think I should."

"Should as in…?" Ike glanced at him, then looked away again.

Marth blushed. "Well, I feel that –"

"I'm really sorry for yelling at you last night," Ike rushed, interrupting him. Marth startled a moment and then opened his mouth, about to apologise in return – because, really, it was his fault for drinking so much coffee – but then Ike started speaking again.

"Just…if that's the reason…" he gestured towards the blank sheet of paper on the desk. "I wanted to apologise anyway. But, also, if it's something else I've done, I'm sorry, or if you're replying to her now because you think that I don't – oh, I'm presuming too much." He briefly slid a hand over his face, then finally met Marth's gaze.

Marth watched him for a moment, confused. Then he looked down at his lap. He wasn't sure why Ike was bothered about what he was writing, but he could set the record straight by telling Ike what he _was_ going to write. But then…what if he gave himself away? As he hesitated Ike began speaking again.

"I thought that – though of course you might not be, I wasn't assuming…well I _was_, but… If you want to of course, go ahead. But if it's just me then…don't. Please. Write, that is. To her. Because I'm sorry and – oh, this probably isn't even relevant." He put a hand to his face again, and this time when he lowered it he was blushing. Marth was desperately confused. And the only way to clear things up, it seemed, was to tell Ike was he was intending to write in his letter to Sheeda. He took a deep breath.

"This might be cruel, but I'm writing to her because…" He trailed off for a moment as Ike sucked in a sharp breath, but then unable to understand why, he continued, "Because…" He blushed. "Because I'm gay. And I've sort of ignored that before and let her write, but now…I've accepted it. And I think it would be cruel to keep her hoping now when I know that I don't, and never will be, interested in her." Marth finished and took a deep breath in at the same moment that Ike let one out. Ike gave an odd twitch of a smile, then, and to Marth's mind suddenly looked inexplicably relieved. Marth was just puzzling over this when without warning Ike crossed the room and leant in over him, Ike's breath catching as he halted with their faces mere inches apart. Their eyes locked together and Marth thought he saw something like apprehension, maybe hope, flicker through Ike's gaze. There was a hesitation, and then just as suddenly Ike seemed to change his mind, leaning back and leaving the room within seconds. Marth stared after him, his heartbeat sounding ridiculously loud in the quiet of the room.

Was…that…?


	17. Day 17

_A/N: This drabble was suggested by Charly-The-Girl, and I think others may also have thought of it too._

_Christmas was a bit hectic, but this story will be completed ASAP. Please do review, it helps motivate me to update!_

_This is a T-rated fanfiction probably best appreciated by M-rated minds, but there you are. You probably realised that already. What can I say? My own mind obviously has an M-rated tendency, even if I can write fluff._

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><p><strong>Day 17.<strong>

**In which we give Marth perfume.**

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><p>Marth held his breath as tiptoed into Zelda's room. He could have sworn she'd taken them. Not that he knew <em>why<em> she would have taken her old straighteners back, unless to make a fool of him by making him look like a girl again. Well, that plan wasn't going to work anyway – school had ended now, it was a Saturday, and if he _did _have to live without straighteners he could simply hide in a corner where no one would see him. Though he really didn't want to have to do that.

"Where _are_ they?" he whined, peering under her bed and in some of her drawers. He couldn't even see her new pair. Where did she keep them? Finally he turned to the wardrobe and pulled at the handle. It was stubborn, jammed. Was it worth the risk? Gritting his teeth Marth fastened both handles on the handle and pulled back violently.

The door gave suddenly, flying open and nearly tipping the whole wardrobe. Clothes seemed to explode out of it. Marth staggered backwards against the vanity table, sweeping some of the bottles and lotions from their placed as he tumbled to the floor.

"Oh _damn_!" He looked quickly across the carpet to see how much damage he'd done. To his relief it initially seemed very little, but then he noticed the perfume bottle. It had been glass, one of those fancy ones with only a loose decorative stopper than sat in the top when it was upright. It wasn't upright any more. The perfume was already forming a large pool on the floor – how much perfume did Zelda _use_? What if it was expensive? He looked around in a panic, quickly picking up the bottle and putting the lid back on it, although by now most of it had already spilt. What could he use to mop it up? He had no time – it would soak into the carpet if he left it any longer, if it hadn't already. What a waste! Flustered, he searched for a towel but seeing none to hand did the next thing he could think of and quickly removed his top to soak up the spilt perfume.

It turned out his top was rather absorbent.

Now he sat back in his room, his near-soaked tunic hung over the radiator. He grimaced as he thought of how much had been spilt. Would Zelda ever forgive him? But wait – Zelda forgive _him_? When she had given him a truth potion, dressed him as a girl, and got him drunk, amongst other things? For all that he'd forgiven _her_, she should certainly forgive him this mishap. But he still lamented the loss of so much perfume. He tried to think of any way he could save it from being completely wasted. He thought of wringing it out of his tunic and dripping it back into the bottle, but it had practically dried out now. Sighing, he went over to the radiator and lifted his tunic up remorsefully. It smelt rather lovely, actually. Zelda was good at choosing perfume.

He supposed there was _one_ way of not wasting the perfume entirely.

He hesitated. What if he passed Zelda in the corridor? Then she'd know for sure what had happened…or would she? Actually, she'd more likely suspect him of buying a bottle for himself unless she'd seen how empty her own bottle had become. Maybe she would at worst think that he'd borrowed an obscene amount from her without asking rather than spilt it.

_It smells lovely… Marth, you can't waste this._

He lingered just a moment longer and then pulled the perfume-scented top back on, adjusting it gently and secretly enjoying how the delicious smell wafted up to meet him.

He might have spent the rest of the day in this guilty quiet enjoyment if he hadn't passed Pit and Roy down the corridor on the way back to his room after lunch. As they approached Pit slowed down dramatically and stopped in front of Marth, raising an eyebrow.

"Marth, you _reek_ of perfume."

Marth blushed scarlet.

"It's really nice, but how much did you put _on_?"

Marth blushed further. Pit leant in and sniffed his shoulder.

"Mmm, that _is_ nice. When did you start wearing perfume? Or should I say – so _much_." Pit grinned. "Hey – Roy!"

"No!" Marth yelped, arching away as Roy's nose tickled his neck.

"Strong," Roy commented, but didn't move away.

"Guys, this is really creepy," Marth whined as they both sniffed at him.

"Well, I think we know what to do," Roy said.

Pit nodded. "I agree."

Marth looked between them both nervously. "What – eek!" He struggled as they suddenly took hold of one arm each and began dragging him backwards down the corridor.

"Marth, you don't understand…" Pit began.

"…quite the message you give out…" Roy continued.

"…if you go around smelling like that," Pit finished. They were both smirking.

"What are you going to do to me?" Marth wailed, suddenly worried. "Let me go!"

"No, I don't think we will just yet," Pit replied.

"I'm sure the conclusion of our interference is already obvious," Roy added humorously.

Marth panicked as he craned his head backwards and saw that he was being dragged into Roy's room.

"Guys?" he pleaded. "Guys?"

The door closed.

Moments later it was reopened, and Marth's tunic came flying out of it.

Moments after that so did Marth, now wearing one of Pit's t-shirts.

"Honestly, what were you thinking?" Pit called out after him. "Were you trying to seduce someone?" He laughed.

Marth blushed and quickly recovered his perfumed tunic from the floor, intent on hurrying back to his room. Roy closed the door behind him, also laughing.

This was, of course, when Marth looked up to find himself face to face with Ike.


	18. Day 18

_A/N: Three other drabbles have been back-referenced in this one - reviewer kudos if you can name them!_

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><p><strong>Day 18. <strong>

**In which we give Marth a stone.**

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><p>Marth limped back towards his room slowly, muttering to himself. He'd just lost a short spar against Peach, which meant that he was now down by about £20. He'd been really looking forward to a nice relaxing spa, too. Every month or so he would have such a competition with one of the girls, what they called a 'Spar for a Spa' after which the loser paid for the winner to go and relax at the spa.<p>

The spar wasn't why he was limping, though. He had a stone in his shoe, that was all. It was unfortunate in a way that he was sure he had picked it up after the spar, or else he might've blamed his performance on it. Pesky stone. He had intended to wait until he had reached his room so that he could sit down nicely on his bed to remove it, but the stone was just too irritating. Glancing around quickly he sat down where he was on the floor and began to tug his boot off. And that was when he heard it.

"_Hey guys._"

Ike's voice. Marth looked up, but he couldn't see him in the corridor.

"_I was just hoping to talk to you all for a second._"

Ike again. Then Marth realised. He'd stopped outside of a door – the door to Link's room, it seemed, and the voice was coming from behind it.

"_Yeah, sure. What is it?_" That was Link.

"_Well, it's…about Marth._"

Marth's hand clenched a little tighter around his boot. Ike wanted to talk…about _him_?

"_I was just wondering if there was anything you could, you know, tell me about him. Like his personality, likes, dislikes, interests, if anything gets on his nerves…that sort of thing._"

"_That's awfully vague, Ike. Why don't you just ask him yourself?_" Link questioned.

There was an awkward silence. Marth held himself completely still, afraid to even breathe too loudly in case they heard him. Then Zelda's voice butted in.

"_Because he's got a massive crush on Marth, that's why. But he's a bit embarrassed about it and he hasn't even fully admitted to himself that he's gay yet. He's afraid of making a fool of himself or giving himself away if he pursues Marth to talk with him more but he can't help wanting to know more about him because he's got a crush on him so he's going around about it and asking us instead._"

"_Zelda…_" Ike's voice trailed off, sounding shocked and nervous and embarrassed. From the other side of the door Marth gawped.

"_But I'll tell you something about him anyway,_" Zelda continued, "_He doesn't mind licking chocolate spread off clothes._"

"_Mmm. And he likes to claim that his sword's bigger than mine, though personally I don't think so,_" Link contributed.

"_Oh, and he smells nice too. Wouldn't you agree, Roy?"_

Pit and Roy were in there too?

"_Oh yes, definitely,_" Roy assented.

Marth blushed crimson, cringing. Did they have any idea how dodgy they were making him sound?

"_Oh, and he has a complete crush on you too,_" Zelda supplied finally.

"_Right._" Ike's tone was impossible to decipher.

There was a long pause that seemed to indicate the end of the discussion. Panicking that one of them might leave the room and discover him Marth quickly shook the stone out of his shoe and pulled it on roughly before making a sharp sprint down the corridor.

He wasn't entirely sure whether to feel upset or elated.


	19. Day 19

_A/N: The references in the last chapter: the licking chocolate spread off clothes is from the alcohol chapter, the bigger sword claim is from the Rubix cube chapter, and the nice smell comment is obviously from the perfume chapter._

_To Bailerr and Theadore: I think I love you guys. Although I have since deleted the massive apology on Day 15 the sentiment of apology still stands, although by now I'm halfway laughing hysterically at just how badly I've managed to fail. Also, I had an exam on Thursday, and spent the previous week revising, okay? THIS UPDATE IS FOR YOU, and is entirely due to your pestering! But I'll rant more about your awesomeness next chapter..._

_This day's suggestion came from One More Kyubey, previously Take Me To Norway._

_Note: For Americans...tights are the same as panty hose...er...right...if you wanted that...I'll go now._

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><p><strong>Day 19.<strong>

**In which we give Marth a headband.**

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><p>It was Ike's headband, to be precise. It was tied in a big black bow on the top of a large red-wrapped box that had arrived in his room that morning. He'd simply woken up and found it there, just inside the door. Pit was nowhere to be seen. Marth turned to the box itself for his explanation.<p>

The headband was definitely Ike's. He recognised the shape of the frayed ends and the slight stretching of the material from where it had been repeatedly tied. He fingered one end of it and it unravelled almost instantly, other black ribbons that had been tied in with it falling away around the box. All that remained now was to lift the lid. He hesitated, though, thinking. Was the present from Ike? The headband would suggest so. But why would Ike buy him such a large present? It covered his lap easily, though it was only perhaps 20cm deep.

He tucked his fingers around the edge of the lid, paused momentarily, and then lifted it. He was faced with an ambiguous mass of black material, a bit of white peeking through from around the side. There was a note sitting on top, which read –

_Dear Marth,  
><em>_This gift is a personal fantasy of mine. If you would indulge me, please wear it and meet me at midday at my room. That is, if you don't mind.  
><em>_Ike._

Marth felt a peculiar though not unpleasant jittery sensation in the pit of his stomach. He reached into the box and slowly lifted out the black material. It unfolded, falling outwards into its natural shape.

It was a maid's outfit.

A bright blush rose instantly on his cheeks. Was Ike being serious? He re-read the note and blushed further. _A personal fantasy of mine._ There were some silky black tights in the box as well, and some gentle black heels. He laid them out on the bed beside him and stared at them, feeling multiple emotions all at once. An alarming, suddenly surging part of him wanted to try it on. Right there, right then, and then he would walk straight into Ike's room and watch his expression. The normal part of him that wasn't suffering from this sudden urge was worried, embarrassed by the notion of even trying it in private, and suffering from flashbacks of the day his straighteners had failed. He'd more or less sworn to himself then that he would never intentionally wear anything girly ever again. But Ike had seen him that day, _recognised_ him, and hadn't mocked him. And now he had sent Marth a maid's outfit. Did that mean that when he'd seen Marth in a dress that day…he'd actually _liked_ it?

Marth fingered the sleeve of the dress uncertainly. The thing was, even if that was true, this just didn't seem like something Ike would do. It had a worrying wacky dare quality to it that made Marth feel edgy. But the headband was Ike's, and Marth recognised the handwriting on the note as Ike's too. Plus the whole outfit and shoes seemed a little too expensive just for a prank. Marth frowned and ran one hand over the smooth material, ridiculously tempted. What the hell was wrong with him? But it was a _gift_, after all. Wasn't it customary to try on all gifts of clothing at least once, even if they were unwanted itchy knitted jumpers from your over-attentive aunty?

Using this slightly strained logic as an excuse Marth undressed down to his underwear and reached for the tights first. They were silky and delicate to the touch as he eased them up over his legs and hips, giving them a smooth glossed appearance. He rubbed his legs together experimentally. He shouldn't have enjoyed the sleek gliding feeling this produced…but he kind of did. Next came the dress. It was soft, fitting him perfectly, and came down to just above the knee. He reached behind him and pulled the strings tight so that the dress hugged his torso, and then he tied the ends behind his back with the neat efficiency of someone who's probably spent a little too much time in an apron. Finally he stepped into the heels, enjoying the slight boost in height. He examined his apparel in the mirror. It could have been worse, he considered. He was wearing tights rather than stockings, and the maid outfit was a decent length with a modest neckline – not that he had anything to show in the chest area anyway – but the principle of the thing rather overrode any alleged modesty in the actual outfit. Was he seriously going to do this? He picked the note up off his bed and read it one more time, glancing at the clock. It had just gone half past eleven. He'd woken up late as it was the holidays now – he didn't have any lessons to rush to and he fully intended to make use of all the extra sleeping time. He'd had breakfast around ten, and now…well. He shifted from foot to foot awkwardly, then took a deep breath. He would do it. For Ike, he would do it. He looked back at the clock. Great. Now he had a full half hour to be nervous about it.

Half an hour came and went all too quickly.

And then he was standing outside the door and wondering what the hell had compelled him to be there, and dressed like that. He didn't know butterflies could survive in a stomach churning as violently as that. He raised one hand to the door and knocked.

The door opened. And then –

"I knew it!" Laughter. "I _knew_ he would, I _told_ you…" More laughter.

Marth just stood there, half in shock, the embarrassment not having kicked in yet, not knowing what to do. Ike wasn't there.

Roy raised a camera and snapped a photo. Zelda grinned and leant over his shoulder to look at it. Marth simply stood there. It was as though he'd simply run out of embarrassment. He blinked. Where was Ike?

"Here, that tenner is mine. Pass the cash, come on, you lost fair and square."

"Fine. Oh god Marth, you look _priceless._"

"Raging crush, what did I say?" Zelda giggled and then laughed, then even harder, clutching her sides in hysterics. Roy joined her, grinning and laughing until he complained that his cheeks hurt.

Marth just stood there and stared. He couldn't believe he'd done something so hideously embarrassing. Again. The disbelief kept the blush from his cheeks a moment longer. He didn't move a muscle. Until –

"Marth?" The familiar voice was caught in surprise and doubt and a hint of the one emotion that Marth was still failing to feel – embarrassment.

Marth turned towards him, trying to prepare some sort of carefully altered explanation for the bet he'd obviously been tricked into when –

"I didn't think you would," Ike said.

Marth closed his mouth again. What?

"I'm sorry, I didn't think you'd actually… You look…" Ike blushed.

In Ike's room Zelda and Roy were still laughing but not they might has well have been part of the wallpaper. All of Marth's attention centred on Ike.

"You bet with them?" he asked quietly.

Ike shook his head. "I caught Roy trying to steal my headband early this morning," he explained. "I woke up just as he was trying to sneak out of the door with it, so I stopped him and made him tell me what he was doing. He told me about his bet with Zelda, and I…" Ike blushed again. "Well I guess I was curious, so I leant my headband, room and handwriting to the cause. They told me what to write in the note." Ike looked down at his feet for a moment before meeting Marth's eyes again. "I didn't believe you'd, um…wow." Ike trailed off with an awkward half-grin.

Marth looked back at Ike blankly. The feeling of embarrassment that he'd been waiting for still hadn't started, nor did it feel like it would be coming at all, oddly enough. Instead another emotion swelled up in its place until it finally broke through the numb barrier of his expression.

"How could you?" he whispered. He felt…upset. His throat constricted. It wasn't just upset; he felt disappointed and distressed and betrayed.

"You didn't need to –" He broke off and shook his head, tears welling in his eyes. Ike's expression turned concerned immediately and he took a step forward.

"Marth –"

Marth cut him off with a weak wave of his hand and moved past Ike to walk back the way he had come. He choked back a small sob as Ike called out after him, but he kept walking and didn't look back.


	20. Day 20

_A/N: So, just as I thought I was getting the hang of this updating malarkey, this drabble decides to be a tricky and long one. Joy._

_To Bailerr and Theadore: Your reviews and pestering have been truly inspirational and happiness-giving. In fact, if you like, I would be happy to offer you a request AU IkexMarth one-shot once this story is through as extra thanks, to claim at your leisure. Up to you._

_To reviewers I haven't named – don't think you're forgotten! You all have my undying love and gratitude for reading and/or reviewing, and I don't know what I'd do without you. I'll make a full list of reviewer thanks on the last chapter, I think, because you all deserve to be thanked individually!_

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><p><strong>Day 20.<strong>

**In which we give Marth an aphrodisiac.**

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><p>It was evening, and Zelda was hosting a small film party in one of the shared lounges. Marth didn't really know if he wanted to be there. It was going to be a long event – five films had been lined up, but the likelihood of everybody remaining in the room or awake for the duration was pretty slim. Most of the films had generic action plot lines to cater for the mixed boy and girl audience Zelda had invited. Marth supposed she had manipulated or bribed everyone into turning up one way or another, because a bitter part of him refused to believe that she actually had that many friends. Especially after yesterday.<p>

Zelda, naturally, completely ignored the damage she'd done. She'd even asked Marth to turn up early so that she could have a little heart to heart chat with him about Link. He sat quietly on the far end of the sofa, sipping at the orange squash she had given him.

"I've been thinking," she began.

"Are you going to say sorry then?" Marth muttered under his breath.

"Huh?"

Marth stared down at his glass. "Nothing."

She gave him a searching look and then her expression cleared, dismissing whatever she saw as she said, "Link fancies me. I've been watching him more and more and I think he really does." She blushed.

"I know." The words slipped out before he could stop them – he hadn't really intended to participate in the discussion, but it was just too obvious.

"But he still hasn't said anything," she continued. "So I thought I might…give him a helping hand."

Marth was silent.

"Not the truth potion like I used on you, but perhaps something to loosen him up. So that he actually _says_ something."

_You could just tell him how you feel and wait for his response,_ Marth thought, but said nothing. He wasn't going to give her any advice, not a word.

"I could just slip it in his drink. What do you think?"

Marth shrugged.

"Marth, are you okay?"

_No._ Marth shifted the drink idly in his hands and took another sip, not meeting her eye.

"Marth, this isn't about the joke yesterday, is it? That was _funny_. Come on, admit it was funny."

Marth finished his drink and put the glass to one side.

"The look on your face was priceless. You looked like such a darling in a maid's outfit. And I know it was a joke but I swear Ike liked it too, really, you should have seen the look on his face." She giggled.

Marth stood up and turned to leave. Zelda half rose with him, putting a hand out to touch his arm.

"Hey –"

But whatever else she was going to say was cut off as the doorbell rang. Zelda hesitated a moment, then went to answer it. Marth wondered why he was even attending the film night at all. He should probably leave. He sighed, weighing it up the almost equally unappealing option of sitting in his room alone. With a nervous shuffle he waited to find out who had arrived.

It was Roy, who was shortly followed by Pit, and then Peach, Daisy, Kirby, Meta Knight, Red and Link. And Ike…was apparently late. Marth pretended he hadn't been looking for him. Within twenty minutes the place was lively and full of conversation and jokes, various large sharing packets of crisps and sweets being split open to pass around. He talked to Pit for a little while, exchanging easy conversation for several minutes. At least there was one friend who hadn't made a fool out of him. But as he relaxed and the conversation reached a natural lull Roy came over and claimed Pit's attention for his own. Marth let out a quiet sigh, and then slowly stood to leave. He'd had a chat now so it wouldn't look _inexcusably_ unsociable if he went back to his room for the rest of the evening, and he was having misgivings about seeing Ike anyway.

He was almost out the door when Zelda stepped out in front of him carrying a tray of drinks.

"Hey – you're not leaving already, are you?"

Marth shrugged and moved to step past her.

"Don't leave!" she protested. "I invited you specially!"

Marth shrugged again. "I don't feel like it."

"What's wrong? Please Marth, I want you to stay." Her gentle and innocent tone irritated him.

"Why, so that you can humiliate me even more?" he snapped at her.

Her eyes widened. "Oh God, Marth, are you really upset about that?" One look at his face answered her question. "I'm so sorry, I didn't notice… It was just harmless fun, you know," she added, voice subdued. "Come on, take a drink and come back and join in, will you? I didn't know… At least give me a chance to apologise some more?"

She held the tray of drinks out a little further towards him like a peace offering. He hesitated.

"Please Marth." The regret in her eyes seemed sincere. But just as Marth reluctantly decided to give her a chance and took hold of a cup she rushed, "Oh no, not that one! That's Link's!"

Marth frowned at her. All the cups looked exactly the same; there was nothing special about the one he was holding. Was she trying to pull _another_ prank on him? How gullible did she think he was? He glanced at her and then lifted the cup to his lips and took several gulps even as she yelped, "No – Marth!"

He finished the drink in one and put the empty cup back on the tray. Honestly, who did she think she was that she could just apologise and offer him a drink, only to try immediately afterwards to make him look stupid by telling him he couldn't drink it?

"Marth, oh God Marth, no, that was for Link…" She seemed to be near panicking. Marth narrowed his eyes at her.

"No, don't look at me! Don't look at me!" she shrieked suddenly, turning as if trying to find somewhere to hide. Marth stared at her in confusion.

"Marth, you don't understand! Remember our talk earlier? I put a special aphrodisiac – a love potion if you will – in Link's drink. Oh God, it's going to kick in any second…" Zelda whined the last words quietly as if to herself, the panic in her expression rising exponentially. Marth felt a low, warm sensation beginning to grow in the pit of his stomach. What had Zelda said?

It was just then that Ike finally turned up, strolling in through the door and stopping at the sight of Marth before giving him a nervous smile.

"Hi."

Marth turned towards him self-consciously. "Hi Ike."

"Ah, Zelda, there you are. I was thinking maybe we should put the first film on now," another voice interrupted.

Marth turned back around to see who had spoken. Zelda was nodding back at Link almost frantically.

"Marth?" Link peered over at him, looking a little concerned. Marth figured he had gone pale with shock and sudden fear. He stood frozen where he was, staring blankly into the air in front of him as Zelda's words sunk in. What had she said? Aphrodisiac?

"Marth? Hello?" Link waved a hand in front of Marth's face.

"Link, just leave him, go – Ike –" Zelda hurried, her words blurring into each other in the rush of urgency.

"What is it? Is he okay? His face has gone all vacant," Link pointed out.

"Marth?"

Marth swallowed. "I'm fi –" His voice failed abruptly as the world lurched suddenly as if it was falling in on itself. He staggered a little, and Ike stepped forward to catch him just as Link put out two hands to grab his shoulders. The low warmth in Marth's stomach bloomed into a sudden heat, the sensation flooding outwards and consuming his whole body like a fever. He took a few deep breaths, trying to steady himself. Then a second later the world fell back the other way, slotting back into position. Marth lifted his head and stared blankly into the face in front of him, then blinked a few times.

"Link, _hey._"

Zelda made a small noise like the whine of a deflating balloon. Link looked at her.

"Zelda, are you alright?"

Marth licked his lips. "Hey, didn't you say something about putting the first film on?" he drawled, slinging an arm around Link's shoulders. The now pleasantly warm, slow burning sensation in his stomach rewarded him for the gesture with a renewed blossom of heat, flushing through his body and giving him goose bumps. And Link… Link was _gorgeous_. How had he never noticed this?

Link looked back at him. "Right, yeah. Okay. I'll handle the remotes and stuff then, shall I?"

"Oh, I'm _sure_ you will," Marth purred, registering a little inward surprise at the sound of his own voice. He didn't realise it could drop like that. Or that he could roll his 'r's quite so successfully. He followed Link as he headed back towards the television, letting his hips sway slightly. Well, he _had_ known he could do _that._ But this was different, doing it where people could see him. A small tickle of adrenalin laced the warm haze that was flowing through his senses.

Link slipped the first DVD into the DVD player and fiddled with the remotes a little bit until the familiar 20th Century Fox symbol came on screen, its iconic music blasting through the speakers. Link turned it down a bit but the noise had alerted everyone to the start of the film anyway. Now they all settled down around the various sofas, beanbags and floor cushions to watch it. Small tubs of popcorn were passed around. Marth position himself strategically on the sofa next to Link, leaning against him casually and dipping into his bag of sweets whilst unashamedly admiring his face.

He wasn't really aware of what happened during the opening scenes of the film. His entire mind was consumed with thoughts of Link – the slope of Link's jaw, the curve of his lips, the strength in his arms. Some part of his mind was vaguely annoyed as he felt the sofa cushion dip as someone sat on the other side of him, resulting in a slight shift of Marth's weight away from Link. Marth remedied this instantly, but then felt a tap on his shoulder. He reluctantly tore his eyes away from the positively heavenly colour of Link's cheeks and turned his head around.

"What?"

Ike looked a little startled. "I wanted to say sorry…about yes–"

Marth cut him off with a wave of his hand, immediately turning back towards Link with a smile even though Link was currently talking to Roy, who was sitting on a nearby beanbag. He didn't need to speak to Link, just to hear the sound of his voice, his words available for Marth's ears…something from Link's mouth, going into his ears… Marth shuddered pleasantly at this connection, leaning even closer to him and ignoring Link's attempts to move his arm from where it had become trapped between them.

"Marth?"

Marth ignored Ike completely. Why couldn't Ike see he was busy? He leant his head a little closer to Link's shoulder and inhaled, the slightly burnt toast and cranberry smell sending another hot flush through his limbs and making his head swim pleasantly. He would drown in that smell, gladly.

"Marth?"

"Hmph." Marth didn't turn around.

"Marth, please."

Extremely annoyed that he was going to have to look away from Link _again_, Marth turned to face Ike.

"Marth, I'm really sorry for my part in the prank yester– "

"Whatever." Marth turned back towards Link, who was now discussing the merits of various car chase scenes. Roy made some joke he didn't understand but then Link _laughed_, and it was a glorious hearty laugh that flooded into the very core of Marth's being and made it vibrate like a perfectly plucked guitar string.

"I didn't realise that you would do it, and I misjudged aiding it in the first place," Ike continued tentatively from behind him. "Please, let me make it up to you."

Marth tried to zone Ike out, hoping he had done speaking now. His voice was interfering with the perfect melody that was Link's voice. When Ike made no attempt to say anything else Marth assumed he must have gotten the message.

As the film passed the first half an hour Link finally seemed to notice Marth's unusually close proximity to him.

"Marth, do you think you could give me a bit more space?" he asked kindly.

"But I want to be near you," Marth objected softly. "I want to be near you always."

Link gave him a slightly alarmed look. Marth was aware that he'd spoken on impulse but in no way did he feel that he didn't mean it. He could think of nothing better than to spend every moment left of his life in Link's presence.

"Are you drunk or something?" Link asked nervously.

"Absolutely not," Marth informed him proudly, his vision blurring outwards around Link in a golden glow. "Well," he said, lowering his voice a little, "maybe on love." He leant in closer with a smile. Another hot flush raced down his spine like an inward caress.

"Er…" Link leant away from him, pushing Marth back gently but firmly. "You don't seem to be acting like yourself, that's all."

"Maybe he's trying to make Ike jealous," Roy supplied from beside him.

"Ike?" Marth frowned for a moment, some other part of his brain vaguely remembering that he had had some interest in Ike before. He had no idea why, now he came to think of it.

"Why would I want to make him jealous? You're the one I fancy, Link," Marth told him simply. He couldn't have Link in any doubts over his affections; that wouldn't do at all. On the other side of the sofa he saw Ike tense, but ignored it.

"Er…right." Link gave him a worried look but then turned away and decided to pass over it on favour of talking to Roy about something else instead. Marth smiled, settling in once more to enjoy the sound of Link's voice. As the film wore on he rested his head against Link's shoulder and at this point Ike stood up to leave. Marth watched him out of the corner of his eyes with a vague twitch of a feeling that he'd done something wrong, but he wasn't sure what it was. Link didn't seem to be bothered by Ike leaving though, so it couldn't matter.

"Ike, please, don't mind Marth, he's not…himself…this evening," he heard Zelda say.

Marth frowned. What?

"It's okay, Zelda. But I think I'll just…go," Ike answered quietly.

"No, really, Ike –"

"It's okay."

Marth heard Ike's footsteps fade away.

Later Marth would learn that Zelda hadn't told Ike about the aphrodisiac mistake there and then because it would have meant exposing her original plans in front of Link. That conversation would then result in five very hard minutes in which Marth struggled with himself whilst holding a pair of scissors and staring at one of Zelda's dresses.

However, at that moment…Marth thought of nothing but Link.


	21. Day 21

_A/N: Thank you for the reviews!_

_To Bailerr and Theadore: Conden...sa...tion? Well that answers 2 of my questions preemptively. Sure, I'll update that at some point, but you might want to reconsider having that as your request so I'll leave the one-shot as an open offer. Oh, but I must also pass on that ADashOfInsanity is very pleased at your asking me to update Condensation. Naturally when I do update Condensation I will be looking forward to your reviews. (You may want to consider gettiing an account to StoryAlert that one though, I'm not sure how long it will take me to update that, there's a backlog of must-updates beforehand...just a thought!)_

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><p><strong>Day 21.<strong>

**In which we give Marth a Santa outfit.**

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><p>Marth was late to town the following day.<p>

Firstly, as you will know if you've had an aphrodisiac hangover, he woke with a violent and prolonged fit of hiccups. This might have been hilarious if it hadn't made it excessively hard to breathe normally in between and consequently left him a little light-headed and dizzy for several minutes. Also, as can sometimes be the way when you didn't originally fancy your admiree, he took a sudden and violent dislike to a familiar trait of that person – in this case green hats.

Secondly, once he had caught his breath again, (his dislike of green hats would last over the next few days) he laughed. The hangover from the aphrodisiac definitely had something to do with it, but suddenly everything was hilarious. The maid outfit – oh god – Ike's face – sweet lord – the fact he had drunk an aphrodisiac and hit on _Link_ whilst Ike was trying to _apologise_… He giggled, guffawed, and doubled over with laughter until his cheeks hurt. However, the laughter promptly turned an unhealthy shade of hysterical, mixing in with nerves, disbelief, and mild horror at what he'd done. It was a high, too-loud laugh that turned something vaguely uneasy inside him until a strange moaned sob broke through into the laughter. He couldn't tell if the few tears that ran down his face were from hilarity or despair.

Thirdly, and finally, he was furious – especially at Zelda. Yanking on his dressing gown he stormed down the corridor to her room. She was responsible for this – for the aphrodisiac. He knocked on her door impatiently, feeling hot and angry (although the heat might have been partly the hangover from the aphrodisiac too). At length she opened the door.

Unfortunately the hangover evidently didn't work in a strict progression, as in between his irate rant against her he broke out in odd bouts of giggles and hiccups. At least, however, instead of finding it funny Zelda actually found it rather disturbing and terrifying. After five minutes of Marth's yelling and Zelda's apologizing and explaining she simply turned and fled the room with a mumbled excuse, leaving Marth behind. Incensed, he somehow found himself several moments later holding a pair of scissors and staring very hard at one of Zelda's dresses.

All of this, from the aphrodisiac hangover to the scissors to a long and very much needed relaxing shower, explained why Marth was late arriving in town that day, where he was meant to be helping out with a charity appeal for St. Helena's Hospice. Once he got there everyone else was already in their Santa outfits and rattling buckets and collection tins. All of the girls had made it there – including Zelda – as well as Pit and Roy. Peach smiled at Marth as he approached.

"Hey Marth, you finally made it!" She skipped over and gave him a hug. "Here." She held out a plastic carrier bag towards him. "Your costume. Oh, but…" She glanced briefly over her shoulder at Samus before looking back at Marth. "Samus took a male one because her, um…bust was too big for the girl's top." Peach giggled. "So this is hers. You don't mind, do you?"

By then the bag was already in Marth's hand and before he could say a word she had skipped away and was already brightly addressing some passer-by with a sweet appeal for loose change. He stared down at the bag in his hands for a long moment in disbelief. Unlike the male outfit, which was a traditional Santa outfit, the female version had a plunging v-neck with a fluffy white rim and cinched waist, the short sleeves and base equally rimmed. Instead of trousers the girls had shorts, the bottoms of which also bore the white fluff. The image was completed with a normal Santa hat, but that had to be its only redeeming feature.

"No," he said slowly. This couldn't be happening to him. Not again. Not after the maid outfit – no, he couldn't. He glanced up desperately but no one met his eye. He wasn't seriously going to wear this, was he? No, no – he wouldn't stand to be humiliated any more – he would just have to help out without dressing up. But after about a minute or so of trying this he realised that he felt just as out of place this way, perhaps more so, as the others kept asking why he hadn't gotten changed yet. They refused to accept his explanation, accusing him of not getting into the spirit of the occasion. After a while he retreated to one side with the bag, staring at it woefully as if he could somehow will the costume within into being a normal outfit. Several minutes passed.

"Marth?"

The gentle voice brought him out of his reverie. Looking up Marth saw Pit giving him a sympathetic look.

"Would you like to swap costumes with me?" Pit shrugged and tugged at the sleeves of his happily male Santa outfit.

Marth's eyes widened, hopeful but concerned. "Don't _you_ want that outfit?"

Pit smiled at him. "I don't mind. Besides…" He winked. "I think Roy might like it."

Marth smiled back at him. "Thank you."

"That's okay. Come on – we can go and change together."

They changed in the nearby public toilets and then rejoined the group. There were a few raised eyebrows at Pit's changed apparel but no one seemed to mind – least of all Roy, who couldn't keep his eyes off him. Pit pretended not to notice but there was no denying the occasional unnecessary hip swish.

It was just past noon when Marth decided to take a short break, his collecting tin feeling respectably weighty. They had even been asked to pose in various photographs with young children. Pit had been wolf-whistled at a few times, and Samus a few times more – yes, even in the male outfit – and Marth was feeling decidedly better. He left with Pit to go and grab hot chocolate at the nearest coffee shop. Together they walked back amiably with their hot drinks in paper cups, warming their hands and hoping that the snow forecast wasn't going to arrive just yet as they would surely freeze.

As they arrived back at the group, however, Marth spotted a new and all too familiar face amongst the others. Ike spotted them too as they approached. He seemed unsure on seeing Marth, as if not knowing how to begin. Marth gave him a small smile, feeling that it was his turn to explain himself after the aphrodisiac incident. But as Marth drew within talking distance of him and halted neither of them said a word. They simply stood and looked at each other, Ike raising a tentative smile to match Marth's own, neither entirely sure how to proceed and yet both reassured somehow by the other's presence. Pit stayed by Marth's side and looked between them both neutrally.

"I hoped you would be here. Would you like me to help? I could get myself a Santa outfit," Ike said finally. "One like Pit's, if you like." He widened his smiled a little further, nervously. Marth's smile widened a little further in return, understanding everything he wasn't saying and gently forgiving him for it. Quietly he tugged off his Santa hat and rising onto his tiptoes pulled it onto Ike's head for him.

"It suits you," he said. "But I'd prefer you in a tux," he joked.

"That could be arranged," Pit supplied offhandedly. "There's a Christmas dance in a couple of days."

Marth and Ike blushed a little. Pit tossed them both a smile and left them to chat. Marth was the first to speak, hurriedly explaining the aphrodisiac situation of the evening before (and blaming Zelda for everything). Ike nodded his understanding, looking a little relieved, and once more formally apologised for the maid's outfit prank. Marth dismissed it lightly, explaining how he had nearly ended up in a female Santa outfit, and they both laughed.

"It's…okay then?" Ike tried.

"Yes." Marth reached out briefly in reassurance and let their fingertips brush. Then he gasped and grabbed Ike's hand reflexively. "Your hands are so cold!"

Ike looked a little startled but didn't move his hand away. "You've been holding a cup of hot chocolate," he pointed out.

"Oh…yeah. Did you want some?" Marth offered.

"Sure, thanks." Ike took the cup with his other hand, drank a little and then passed the cup back.

They kept holding hands though, and continued to do so for some time.

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><p><em>AN: This is_ _the second time in my stories that Marth has nearly been compromised_ _by a Santa outfit - see 'A Blue Christmas' for the first!_


	22. Day 22

**Day 22.**

**In which we give Marth mistletoe.**

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><p>Decorations were going up around the school, and Marth was helping out. Ike had gone off with Link to help heft some Christmas trees into their rightful places. Marth wished he was there with him but they had already hung out for breakfast that morning, and Marth couldn't stop smiling anyway. Ike might start to think there was something wrong with him if he had seen him smiling for so long. Luckily his excessive merriness didn't look out of place if only caught at a glance – the whole school was buzzing with lively activity, people chattering about presents, plans and parties, and bustling to and fro with decorations. Every corridor and public room had been decorated. There were paper chains, wreaths, banners, holly and ribbons. Tables had been placed in the corridors just for decoration and had been adorned with candles and plant arrangements – some beautiful (like Pit's), some tasteful (like Zelda's), and some appalling (MetaKnight's) but all equally full of the Christmas spirit. Marth was helping to attach holly to the sidelights.<p>

"Got it?" Zelda called from the base of the ladder.

"Got it. How many are left?"

"Just two more on this corridor."

"Okay. I'm coming down." Marth carefully made his way back down the ladder and took the next holly arrangement from Zelda, trying not to prick his hands on the leaves. They walked the short distance until the next light and then set up the ladder again. Marth made his way up carefully, holding the ladder with one hand and the holly in the other. His mind felt pleasantly blank as he fastened it in place, just letting the thoughts drift through his head absently. Then he pricked his thumb on one particularly sharp point and his thoughts focused on one in particular.

"Zelda…?"

"Yes?"

"Did you give Link an aphrodisiac in the end?"

She sighed. "No, not in the end. They're not easy to make, you know."

"You shouldn't have made it in the first place!"

"Okay, okay! It was…I'm sorry!"

Marth huffed and climbed back down the ladder as they moved towards the final light. "So you and Link…"

"Haven't talked really since the party. But you never know…" Her voice became sly at the end and Marth felt himself tense at the tone as he made his way up the ladder again.

"What?" he asked worriedly.

"Well we do still have mistletoe to hang up."

"Oh." Marth was relieved to hear such a simple thought. "So you're going to get him under it deliberately?"

"I…yes…oh Marth, I'm nervous!"

Marth stared at her incredulously. Her? Nervous? He decided to ignore that comment. "So where are we going to hang it?"

"Oh, there's some for the arch just there, once you've finished with this light."

Marth fiddled with the holly a moment longer and then nodded to himself. "Okay, done." He joined Zelda once more at the bottom of the ladder and accepted the mistletoe from her. They moved finally to the arch and Marth climbed the ladder yet again, preparing to hang it.

Just then they heard voices from the adjacent corridor, accompanied by footsteps coming closer. Sure enough, a few seconds later Roy and Pit came through the arch, smiling and chatting to each other. They stopped at the sight of Zelda blocking their way.

"What is it?" Roy frowned.

Zelda pointed upwards to where Marth was rotating the mistletoe, trying to find the best angle so that it would hang as flat as possible against the wall.

"Oh." Roy and Pit exchanged smiles and then Pit grabbed him and they kissed happily, wrapping their arms around each other underneath the arch. Marth shot them both a small smile and fiddled with the mistletoe a little longer, struggling to hang it on the nail there without it looking as though it might fall off. He thought he had almost got it when more footsteps sounded in the corridor and a moment or two later Link came through the arch, holding the top end of a Christmas tree. On seeing Link Marth froze, waiting to see what would happen. Link hadn't seen the mistletoe and despite giving a brief glance to Pit and Roy and a smile to Zelda it looked like he was simply going to walk past. Zelda bit her lip, hesitating. And then all of a sudden she shoved the (still kissing) Roy and Pit to one side and reached out, grabbing Link in an awkward embrace and pressing her lips to his. He stalled immediately, blushing and dropping his end of the Christmas tree in surprise. Marth gave a little inward cheer as he saw Link relax and kiss her back, but just then the ladder he was on wobbled dangerously. Zelda's shove had sent Roy and Pit stumbling straight into it, and the impact – now that Zelda was no longer holding the base – had just about overdone his balance. Both couples were still too wrapped up in each other to notice.

Marth scrabbled uselessly at the smooth plaster on the wall in an attempt to stop his descent. It was hopeless. The only thing there to hold onto was the nail from which he was hanging the mistletoe, but there was no way that would be able to support his weight. He grabbed the end of it anyway, desperate. The ladder kept on tilting, pulling him with it. He felt himself falling away from the wall…falling…

"Help!" he yelled, bracing himself for the worst.

There was a hard thump.

And then strong arms caught him, held him safe. Marth gasped, his heart pounding furiously. The noise had come from the _other _end of the Christmas tree being dropped by his rescuer as they let go of it in order to step forward and catch him. He hadn't been able to see them from up on the ladder, the arch blocking his view into the corridor beyond, but now…

"Ike," he breathed gratefully.

Ike smiled down at him. Marth smiled back, and then Ike lowered him gently to his feet. He quickly realised that Roy had caught the ladder but not him. Link had obviously been alerted by his yell and had broken apart from Zelda, now looking at him in concern. Zelda was grinning madly.

"Kiss!" she squealed, clapping her hands together.

Marth blushed crimson in an instant. Of course. He'd fallen right beneath the arch…right beneath the mistletoe. Ike looked just as awkward. Zelda was practically jumping up and down.

"Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!"

Four pairs of eyes watched them in anticipation. Marth looked to Ike for a cue. Ike looked like he had withdrawn, nervous, bracing himself to go through the motions if he had to but stiff and not relaxed at all. Marth hesitated. He wanted to kiss him and he was sure it would be fine but…he didn't want it to be like this. Not with people watching, or under the contrivance of mistletoe. It meant more than that. So before Ike could do anything he leant upwards quickly and planted a light kiss on Ike's cheek. When he pulled back they were both blushing lightly, but Zelda still shook her head.

"That doesn't count."

"Yes it does!"

"No it doesn't."

"It does!"

"It doesn't!"

"Does!"

"Doesn't!"

The argument would continue for the rest of the day.


	23. Day 23

_A/N: To Theadore (& Bailerr?): I did listen. Though of course, I would have updated anyway._

_To JHO14: I know it doesn't. They'll get their moment, no worries._

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><p><strong>Day 23.<strong>

**In which we give Marth tickets.**

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><p>Marth was sure that all the Christmas dance tickets had sold out. He'd heard Daisy and Peach talking just that morning about it, because apparently Bowser of all people had found himself a date but had been unable to bring her because by that time all of the tickets had sold out. Daisy thought that it was just Bowser's excuse to cover up the fact that he didn't actually have anyone to go with but the fact remained: all of the tickets had sold out. Therefore Marth was sure that he wouldn't be going to the dance. He didn't mind really. The thought of asking Ike to go with him made him extremely nervous and he wasn't a fan of dancing anyway. He would just get his recipe book and pass the time by –<p>

"Marth! Hey!"

Marth turned around. He didn't think that anyone apart from him went into the gardens in December. Pit was bounding up towards him across the grass with a happy grin over his face.

"What is it?"

"I got you tickets!"

Marth stared at him, his heart rate suddenly accelerating. "What?"

"Tickets!" Pit repeated enthusiastically. "For the Christmas dance this evening!" He reached into his pocket and pulled out two blue tickets, holding them out to Marth. "You can ask Ike to go with you!"

Marth stuttered under a momentary panic. "I…I…no, I hadn't planned –"

"Ask him! It'll be brilliant!"

Marth's mind was a whirl. "I thought the tickets had sold out!"

"Ahhh, they did, but I bought you these beforehand because I was worried that you wouldn't get your own." Pit smiled. "Here."

Marth reached out nervously towards them but then stopped, fingertips brushing the very edge of the paper. "I'm not sure. I don't…dance."

"Awww, but think about it. You and Ike, holding hands, swaying to the music…"

"I don't think it would be like that," Marth blushed.

"You won't know if you don't try," Pit encouraged cheerfully, pressing the tickets more fully into Marth's hand. He pulled his hand away and Marth gripped the tickets reflexively to stop them from dropping. Pit winked, using the opportunity to step away before Marth could give them back.

"Just go and ask him!" he called over his shoulder as he walked away.

"But –"

"Go!"

Marth had been standing by the small fountain in one of the student tended gardens and now sat down on a nearby bench, fiddling with the tickets and thinking. He wrapped his scarf around a little tighter, not entirely sure what had possessed him to go out in the first place. He liked the gardens – even in winter there were small evergreen shrubs growing and he like the smell of the fresh air. Pit knew this of course; they had often helped each other out in the greenhouse. It was how they had become friends. Pit wouldn't want to embarrass him. Maybe…maybe he could ask Ike, then. Oh no, this was stupid – he couldn't dance! But the thought of dancing close to Ike like Pit had suggested… Marth blushed again. Oh, no…this was a bad idea. It would never work out like he hoped –

"Marth?"

Marth looked up. Ike was walking towards him, Pit tailing shortly behind. _What? When had…?_ His heart started pounding painfully and he had to look away, struggling with conflicting emotions.

"Hi," he said quietly.

"Pit said, um…" Ike stopped beside the bench and looked off to one side, not meeting Marth's gaze.

"I thought I'd save you the trouble of looking for him and just bring him over," Pit grinned from beside him, looking as though he expected to be rewarded with a cookie.

"_Pit!_" Marth glared at him.

"What? Go on!"

Marth bit his lip. Ike looked down at him at last and smiled with a helpless half shrug. And just like that they were in it together, framed comically by the good intentions of a mutual friend.

"Will you go to the dance with me?" Marth asked, both dutifully and hopefully.

Ike smiled. "Sure."

But Ike didn't ask him to dance.

The event started at 8pm and everyone arrived typically at around ten past, each sporting a variation of formal attire. It was meant to be smart casual really but the girls had seized on the opportunity to dress up and were each wearing beautiful dresses. The guys were a bit more of a mixture, some in a simple shirt and trousers and others in a full tuxedo, with odd variations in between. Ike was on the tuxedo end of the scale, which meant that Marth's stomach knotted strangely whenever he looked at him – but he found it nearly impossible to look away. Marth himself was wearing a simple waistcoat over a smart, pale striped shirt and – at Zelda's insistence – a loose pair of trousers in a flowing material that at certain moments could almost give the illusion of a skirt. That was only after he'd repeatedly refused to wear an actual skirt. But he could appreciate the way it had a nice effect when he moved, swishing slightly around his ankles.

But Ike hadn't asked him to dance.

Marth tried to ask himself why he minded – the thought of dancing half terrified him; he was sure he looked like a fool when he did and last time he had danced one or two had genuinely pointed and laughed. And yet…he wanted to dance. Maybe because despite everything he'd expected to be dragged into it anyway. Zelda and Link were dancing happily not so far away, as were Roy and Pit. Presently Peach approached and tried to persuade him to dance but he shook his head. If he was going to go through with dancing with anyone it could only be Ike. More time slipped by.

Where _was_ Ike?

They had talked near the beginning before getting distracted by different people, but now Marth couldn't see where he was. How long had they been separated? He'd been too busy talking and avoiding dancing and thinking to himself that the music was too loud and watching Zelda, Link, Roy and Pit dance…

The song changed to an old tune that Marth recognised with a smile. It was such a classic dancing tune. If he could ever be persuaded to dance, this would be the song… He glanced around, equally nervous and hopeful. By now the time had slipped by until the Christmas dance was already halfway through. Where was Ike?

And then he saw him. Right in the corner, just slipping out the side door as he watched. Ike was leaving? Surely not. Marth felt a sad sinking feeling begin and struggled against it. Of all the ways he thought the evening might have gone, no matter how badly, he had never actually pictured an alternative in which he _hadn't_ danced with Ike.

Slipping through the crowd Marth made his way towards the side door and slipped out into the cold, the door closing behind him. He'd expected to have to follow Ike some way but Ike was leaning against the wall just beside the door, gazing up at the stars.

"Ike?

Ike started a little and straightened up from the wall to face him. "Marth."

"I…" Marth looked down at his feet. "Aren't you going to dance?"

Ike shrugged. "I'm not really a dancer."

"Me neither." There was a brief silence. Marth shifted uncomfortably. "I just thought…"

"Did you want to dance?" Ike asked abruptly. Then he rushed, "I mean, I didn't think you wanted to, you kept turning it down when other people asked and I wasn't sure if Pit had just talked you into the whole thing. I didn't want to force you to dance – I mean, I don't like dancing but I could with you, well…" Ike scratched the back of his head. "…if you wanted to."

"Oh, no – I mean yes – I would dance…if you asked." Marth blushed.

Ike smiled slowly. "Okay."

"I like this tune."

"Me too."

Marth sighed, realising that if he'd had the courage to ask before Ike would have said yes and they could have danced earlier. Maybe if he hadn't followed Ike out here they wouldn't have danced at all, but now… Ike looked at him as if understanding, waiting.

Marth smiled slightly. "Will you – can we dance?"

The music could still be heard, quieter and muffled through the door, more intimate. Ike smiled and extended a hand in reply. Marth took it and they danced awkwardly for few seconds before breaking into uncontrollable laughter.

"This is hopeless!"

"Hang on…"

They shuffled awkwardly for a few moments and then Ike found the beat and lead him in a half-improvised jive until they were both grinning and relaxed, enjoying themselves.

"I'm sorry for not asking you to dance earlier," Ike said as the song finished and they stumbled to a halt amidst broken laughter.

"That's okay. I was nervous," Marth confessed.

"That's okay."

Marth smiled. It was better this way, just the two of them dancing under the stars. It felt…perfect. Marth looked at Ike and saw his own smile mirrored on Ike's face.

"Ike…" he began, not quite sure what it meant.

"I like you Marth," Ike said quietly. The words filled Marth with happiness, and he smiled in acknowledgement to the answer of the question he hadn't realised he'd been asking. He slipped his hand quietly into Ike's.

"I like you too."

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><p><em>AN: If I dare admit it, the tune they dance to in my head is 'Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go'. But if that appalls you then just imagine it's something else..._


	24. Day 24

_A/N: To thought hemorrhage: YOU! YOU'RE BACK! YOUR ENTHUSIASM IS INFECTIOUS!_

_To Ray-Kat-Hollows: That idea is actually brilliant…but I already have something for these last 2 chapters! I'll…find a way to make it up to you (unless it does somehow creep into the last chapter)._

_To Bailerr: Nooo! The tragedy of lost reviews! Well at least your last one got through._

_I don't want to flood the last chapter with too much of an A/N so I'll get some things out now: Sorry for the appalling updating. I mean, for me it's pretty brilliant, but considering this story was meant to be finished on the 25th December and have updated every day from the 1st December it's pretty awful. Some objects in these chapters have been totally random, others mood-altering substances, and others shameless plot devices. But it's been fun. _

_Other: This story is actually currently longer than 'Condensation' (for which all of you following that are now yelling at me). Yes, in just under 3 months I have written over the length of 'Condensation'. (Don't kill me, okay? Please?) After this story I plan to finish two others currently with one chapter remaining and then move back to 'Condensation' (M Rated). Those with (highly) M Rated minds reading this may also like 'An Unfortunate Pair of Handcuffs'. I'm also waiting on one last IkexMarth one-shot request from Bailerr and Theadore…_

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><p><strong>Day 24.<strong>

**In which we give Marth snow.**

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><p>Marth awoke to a world of white. It gave the morning light a softly glowing, almost ethereal quality and when Marth rolled sleepily out of bed and peered out the window he saw its foot-thick, powdery beauty covering every available surface. It was snow. Yawning he peeled his pyjamas off groggily and stumbled about for a few minutes, pulling on some clothes. Plenty of layers, that was all that mattered. He wanted to be the first one to disturb that visual quiet with a footstep, like a step into another world. All he had to do now was grab his hat and scarf and then he was done…<p>

The school was still lingering in slumber as Marth crept outside, slipping on his gloves as he took those first few steps into the snow. It was so peaceful, the pale grey-blue sky above looking as though it was mere delicate silk separating him from the heavens. The snow crunched beneath his wellingtons as he tentatively walked further out. Every few steps or so he looked back, affectionately admiring the indents he'd left behind. He could feel the cold on his face, fresh and breezeless. Taking his time he made his way around the side of the school towards the field at the back, pausing on his way to pull down a tree branch and watch it spring back into position, sending down a small shower of snow. The snow crystals melted almost instantly on his gloves, the crunchy white flakes dissolving into clear droplets.

Finally he arrived at the field. Here the expanse of white was at its most impressive. It was a vast, flat, untouched plain of white and the sight of it filled Marth with delight. Feeling a sudden bubbling happiness Marth broke into a run, feeling the snow sink around him and slow the progress of his boots so that each step became exaggerated, almost leaping. A big smile spread across his face as he spun in circles, leaving a mess of footprints in his wake. He hummed quietly to himself, skipping in a figure of eight until something cold hit him in the back.

"Good morning!" called a cheery voice.

Marth whirled around. "Pit?"

"I saw you from my window," Pit smiled. "I thought I'd join you."

Marth peered over his shoulder, trying to see where the snowball had hit his back. Pit laughed and brushed it off for him.

"There'll be a snowball fight out here within the hour. Everyone's waking up excited," Pit informed him lightly, picking up a handful of snow experimentally before letting it fall. Marth sighed. He didn't want a snowball fight. All the noise, the trampling feet and flying snowballs disturbing the peace in the air.

"I'd rather just make a snowman," he said out loud.

Pit shrugged. "Me too, but Roy told me I'd be fighting with him. Someone bought him a catapult for Christmas and he wants to try it out with snowballs."

Marth looked around at the as yet largely untouched landscape of snow with a sense of sadness that by the end of the day it would be an uneven mess, the remnants of a playful battlefield.

"I suppose I could start on a snowman now before everyone else gets here," he muttered.

"Good idea." Pit smiled and then looked down at his hands. "I've forgotten my gloves. I'd better go back and get them. See you later!"

Marth nodded and watched Pit jog off gaily, waving as he went.

It felt like Marth had even less time than he'd hoped before the peace was interrupted. He had barely chosen where to start and begun to roll a ball less than half the size the head would be before excited yells and laughter filled the air, a large group of students pouring onto the field. Snowballs were already starting to fly and Marth sighed, hoping that no one would try and drag him into the fight whilst he finished making the snowman. It didn't look like he would have any such luck though; the group was already moving towards him, some of them catching his eye as the group began to split itself into two teams. He saw that Pit had come back with Roy, Link and Ike following shortly behind along with Mario, Luigi, Meta Knight and Kirby amongst others. His eyes flicked to Ike briefly but then he refocused on the snow he was rolling, still unwilling to be dragged into the fight.

"Marth! You want to join in?" That was Link.

"Maybe later," Marth answered politely. "I'm making a snowman."

Then Ike began walking over unexpectedly. "Mind if I join you?"

"Hey – we need you on our team!" Link protested as Ike left him behind.

"Maybe later," Ike called over his shoulder, looking back at Marth. "I'm helping Marth make a snowman. That is…if you don't mind."

Marth blushed. "No…if you want to," he said uncertainly.

"I'd like that." Ike smiled and gestured towards the ball of snow Marth was currently rolling. "Is that the head or the body?"

"Oh…this was going to be the body."

"I'll make the head then." Ike shot him a grin and then began to pack some snow together a little way away, rolling it around to collect more snow and make it larger. They worked in companionable silence for a little while. Marth still felt surprised that Ike had given up on the fight so readily in order to join him. He'd expected to have to build the snowman on his own, as it looked like even the girls that had arrived were going to take part in the snowball fight. He glanced over to where Ike was working. Ike was very efficient at it too, quickly building up enough snow for the ball of snow to roll neatly, picking up more snow until pretty soon it was ready to be the snowman's head. Marth, on the other hand, was still struggling with a frustratingly misshapen lump which kept splitting unhelpfully whenever he tried to roll it bigger.

Minutes later Ike had finished and looked towards Marth expectantly. He tilted his head to one side curiously when he saw how little progress Marth had made. Marth caught his gaze.

"I can't make the snow stick," he complained.

"Hmm." Ike walked over to where Marth was still trying futilely to roll his snowball bigger. He leant in closer just as another chunk broke off, _again._

"You need to press it more firmly," Ike advised, fastening his hands over Marth's and giving the snow a firm squeeze. "Otherwise it won't hold together," he explained.

"Oh. I guess I've forgotten how to do it after so long," Marth excused himself weakly, distracted by the sensation of Ike's hands clasped over his. They were so close, white puffs of breath mixing together in the cold air.

"It's always tricky to get it started," Ike commented sympathetically, as if totally oblivious to their proximity, "but once you've got it rolling nicely it's much easier."

Marth realised his gaze had caught on Ike's lips at some point, slightly paler in the cold. He looked away, blushing as Ike's words took on a different meaning in his head.

"Why don't you roll mine until it's the size for the body and I'll make this one the head," Ike suggested. Marth swallowed and then nodded, but it was a long second before he actually stood up and made his way over to Ike's snowball.

Around fifteen minutes later Ike had just about finished the head and Marth had rolled the body until it was just over half his height and becoming exceedingly harder to push along. It didn't help that as they had worked the snowball fight had spread out everywhere, people running all over the place to dodge flying snowballs whilst trying to gather their own ammo. At one point Peach had nearly fallen into Marth after the impact of a particularly strong throw sent her staggering. But at last both Ike and Marth's snowballs were ready to be put together. Ike helped Marth roll his a few more times until it was even larger and then with some effort he heaved the head on top and Marth quickly packed snow around the 'neck' to help hold it in place.

"Now we just need to give it arms and stuff," Ike commented, taking a step back to admire their work so far.

"I could get some pebbles from the greenhouse for the eyes and nose," Marth suggested.

"Yeah. I can get different twigs for the mouth and arms," Ike added, and after a moment they split off to fetch their items.

By the time they had arrived back at the snowman a few minutes later more snow had begun to fall, floating down prettily around them as they put the final features in place.

"It's getting heavier," Ike noted, "We should go back inside and get warm."

Marth nodded but before they did so they took it in turns to take pictures with the snowman using Ike's phone. The snowball fight had slowly come to a halt at this point, and most of the others were heading back inside too. With one or two parting glances at their creation Ike and Marth joined them, looking forward to hot drinks.

Back indoors Marth got halfway through a packet of Maryland cookies before he realised that he'd forgotten to eat breakfast that morning in his eagerness to get out in the snow. Ike watched him from across the table with a smile, sipping at his own hot chocolate. They glanced frequently towards the window where they could see the snow falling steadily outside, and Marth was just finishing off the last cookie when Peach came rushing up to him with a panicked expression.

"Marth, have you seen my earring? I've lost one."

Marth shook his head slowly, his gaze flicking between her and the window.

"Oh I do hope not," Peach uttered fervently, in response to his unvoiced thought. "That earring was one of my favourites!" She fidgeted for a moment. "I really hope I haven't lost it in the snow. But if I have I thought you might have seen it because I vaguely remember it being loose just before a big snowball hit me and I nearly staggered into you. It would have fallen right near where you were."

Marth thought for a moment, trying to remember. He did remember Peach nearly falling over onto him whilst he was rolling the snow into a body… He frowned a little, his eyes flicking towards Ike as a thought occurred to him. Although he didn't remember seeing the earring, if it had fallen at that point…

"…it probably ended up in the snowman," Marth finished out loud.

Peach's eyes widened. "You're right! I could just go and –"

"Don't hurt Charlie!" Marth protested without thinking. Peach blinked at him, confused.

Ike chuckled. "Charlie?"

Marth blushed, realising that he'd unwittingly revealed that he'd named the snowman.

"Don't worry, it's a perfectly good name," Ike reassured him, still smiling.

After a while Marth finished the rest of the cookies and the remainder of the day slipped by in a mixture of card, computer and board games until the evening. (Ike proved himself rather good at Monopoly and Marth consistently won Cluedo). Then Marth decided to bake Christmas tree shaped shortbread and Ike helped him. When they were done they left the shortbread out to cool and sat together in front of the fire in one of the common rooms. They had turned the sofa around so that it was facing the fire and it felt like they were closed off in their own little world, sharing in the warmth and flickering light. Ike complimented him on his cooking skills and Marth thanked him and for a little while they exchanged light conversation in between contented silences, sitting just close enough so that their shoulders brushed. The snow had stopped and started throughout the day and it was falling lightly now against the dark sky.

"I don't actually like snow," Ike confessed quietly. Marth turned to him in surprise.

"You don't? But you helped with –"

"I know." Ike smiled. "That was nice; I liked that. But…well it's so cold, and it slows you down when you walk. You can't see the colours of the plants beneath all the snow."

"I like the white," Marth mumbled. "It makes everything look clean."

"I've never really thought of that…" Ike gazed into the fire thoughtfully, then sighed. "I think the real reason I don't like it is because I slipped on some ice once when there was snow everywhere and broke my arm. It was my right arm too, and I was learning sword fighting at the time. My dad was near merciless about it – he blamed my carelessness in running when I knew there was ice around and used the 'opportunity' to make me train twice as hard with the other hand until the right one had healed."

Marth watched him as he was talking, even though Ike never looked away from the fire. "I'm sorry," he murmured after a moment.

Ike twisted a little and frowned at him. "Why?"

"Well… It's sad that one incident stopped you liking snow. I don't think it was your fault that you fell. You couldn't help the ice."

"I was probably being a little reckless with my running though. And besides, I can fight well with both hands now. I'm not sure I would be as good with my left otherwise." He smiled. "Besides…I have better memories of the snow now." He turned the smile meaningfully towards Marth and Marth blushed, looking away. Ike grinned and slipped an arm around him, drawing him close. Marth tensed automatically at first but then relaxed, and then slowly lowered his head onto Ike's shoulder. The fire continued crackling softly, warming him pleasantly from head to toe, and before he knew it he had fallen asleep.


	25. Day 25

_A/N: Thank you to __ADashOfInsanity, Theadore, Bailerr, NintendoGamerX, Link's Little Brother, thought hemorrhage, Ray-Kat-Hollows, JHO14, catsrae, WayRoundWrong, ttme123, One More Kyubey, Charly-The-Girl, sippurp123, Subvay, jojo, LongShadows, of cookies, Neo Rulez, Lilac Willow Violet, I.K. Holdridge, Truthless, Guest, ytktyfpoio and Kurono-Angel__ for reviewing this story (as well as anyone else missing a mention)!_

_I attempted to complete all remaining suggestions at first, but then edited to make it a bit more reasonable. Thank you all for reading and sharing the journey, I hope you have/had a lovely Christmas!_

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><p><strong>Day 25.<strong>

**In which we give Marth…**

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><p>Christmas day was naturally chaos. On reflection Marth thought he should have seen it coming.<p>

He woke to the foreboding sound of sniggering. Opening his eyes he blinked blearily, vaguely aware that he wasn't lying in a conventional position, and that there was someone standing in front of him. About a second or two later he realised that that person was Zelda, she was holding a camera, and the reason his position felt a little odd was because he had accidentally fallen asleep on the sofa curled up against Ike.

Far too quickly for his liking he was wide awake, blushing with embarrassment, and furious.

"Don't you dare!" he yelled, feeling Ike stir beside him at the noise.

Zelda merely giggled before turning and running from the room, calling Peach's name as she went.

By now Marth was sitting upright, gently but hurriedly slipping Ike's arm from his waist and rubbing his eyes brusquely with one hand as he staggered to his feet to chase after Zelda.

"ZELDA!" He sprinted down the corridor in a fury, leaving Ike behind. But despite the spike of adrenalin it was still far too early in the morning for such activity – which meant he hadn't had breakfast and quickly developed a stitch.

"Urgh." He bent over for a moment with his hands on his knees, catching his breath, and then straightened slowly. He had no chance of catching her now. He would have to argue with her about the use of the photos later – although by then it would probably be too late. For a moment he slumped against the wall, wondering what to do next. Anger wasn't a usual emotion for him – it didn't sit well, and rapidly disintegrated into exasperation. Heaving a sigh he headed back towards his room to shower and change.

However, as luck would have it, he bumped into her only an hour or so later, after breakfast. He was heading to the toilet when –

Well, there she was.

"Zelda, what are you doing in the men's toilets?" He crossed his arms, waiting for an explanation. She blushed and then sighed.

"I've lost my diary! I have no idea where it's gone!" she cried, distressed.

"But why –"

"I thought one of the boys might have stolen it and hidden it somewhere as a prank." She frowned. "Was it you?"

Marth blinked. "What? No! Why would you think…" he trailed off. He had every reason to steal Zelda's diary, really, after all she'd put him through. And the photos she'd taken just that morning! Her frown deepened.

"Did you?"

"No!"

"I want to see your room!"

"Zelda, I didn't –"

"Move! We're going to your room right now!"

"I didn't take it! I didn't even know you'd lost it!" Marth protested, holding his hands up defensively.

She wheeled him around and pushed him out of the toilets. "We're going to your room."

Marth sighed and led the way, knowing she wouldn't find anything anyway. They reached his room and he opened the door to allow her to search for her diary. And that was when he was confronted with the next disruption of the day.

A Poké Ball sat just inside the door, a Post-It note attached to the outside. Marth was torn between bending over to read it and backing rapidly away, just in case his presence had somehow…

The seam of the Poké Ball began to glow.

"Um…" He was just on the verge of warning Zelda when the Pokémon materialised, large dark blue eyes looking innocently back up at him. A Manaphy. Oh God no. His luck could _not_ be this bad…

The ends of the Manaphy's antenna began to glow pink, two balls of energy rising upwards. Marth turned to Zelda in horror. No, no, no…

"Oh _great_," he muttered. In Zelda's voice.

Zelda – or rather him – whirled around. "What? What? _What?_" The second 'what' was at the sound of her voice on the first 'what'. The third 'what' was at the sight of the Manaphy.

"Oh." Zelda looked down at his – now her – body and twisted experimentally, then put her hands on her waist. "You're thinner than I thought," she commented in a concerned tone.

"I really don't think that's the main problem here," Marth growled.

"It'll wear off in a bit." She smiled then, and pouted, putting one finger to her – _his_ – lips and posing girlishly with her knees bent.

"Don't do that! That's not funny!"

"Do you have a camera? – I don't have long to make use of this opportunity –"

"Don't you _dare!_"

There was a slight knock on the open door. Both of them turned around and saw Ike standing in the doorway. Marth shot Zelda a _don't-even-think-of-anything_ glare urgently. Ike turned to Zelda and smiled.

"Hey Marth. I was just wondering where you'd gone. You were chasing after Zelda and I couldn't find you. And then I ran into Kirby, who has been running absolutely _everywhere_ – he found some strawberry perfume which he sprayed everywhere and he managed to climb on the roof and has been blowing bubbles ever since. The girls were making Christmas pudding and wanted you to join them, and Link wanted to talk to you about something too, but I don't think he said what about…" Ike shrugged, grinning and then chuckling. "Today seems like it's going to be pretty hectic, huh?"

"Seems so," Zelda answered for him, smiling archly.

Marth was tempted to butt in and point out the Manaphy before Zelda tried anything when he looked at Ike – properly – and hesitated. Ike was smiling so easily, his whole posture relaxed. His expression looked soft and so…affectionate. Marth blushed. Was that really how Ike looked at him? Then Zelda bit one finger coyly, tilting her body towards him and shooting him a smile. Marth stared at her. How dare she be suggestive with his bo– was Ike looking him up and down? It was a quick glance, but he had definitely –

Marth blushed furiously just as the Heart Swap ended and he found himself back in his own body, now faced with Ike's gaze directly. He had known, or suspected that Ike had liked him back, even fancied him, had _hoped_, but he hadn't suspected, well not as much, he hadn't _known_, well… Did Ike really look at him like that?

"Marth?"

Marth snapped back to focus. He was looking right back at Ike now. How had he never seen that expression, surely… It couldn't have been like that _before_ could it?

"Yeah. I guess I should go and talk to Link then…" Marth answered, kicking his brain back into gear.

"Right. I'll…catch you later then?" Ike lingered, still smiling, as if reluctant to go. His gaze flicked over to Zelda.

"Yeah. Zelda's, uh…looking for her diary. She thinks I took it. I haven't." Marth shrugged. "Hectic day."

"Are you _sure_ you haven't taken it?" Zelda asked.

"_Yes._" He turned to Ike and shrugged helplessly. "I'll see you later?"

"Sure."

Ike turned to leave and Zelda immediately returned to scouring around for the diary whilst Marth examined the Poké Ball (now with the Manaphy back inside). The Post-It note on the outside read: 'Hey Marth! I got this courtesy of Red's help. I thought it might help you get your own back on Zelda after all she's put you through. Merry Christmas! -Pit."

There was a certain irony to that.

He shifted the Poké Ball from hand to hand for a moment and then placed it to one side with a sigh, sitting down on the bed. Zelda looked around for a little longer in hope of finding her diary but shortly gave up and sat in the centre of the carpet wearily, looking up at him.

"I'm sorry Marth," she sighed. "I wasn't _really_ convinced you had it, but I hoped that if anyone had stolen it it would be you. You wouldn't do anything bad with it. I don't know who has it or what they are going to do."

Marth gave her a brief look of sympathy. "Are you sure it's stolen?"

Zelda nodded. "I've looked everywhere in my room and through all my bags and I always keep it in the same place anyway." She stood up slowly. "Sorry Marth. I guess I'll keep looking."

"Okay." Marth nodded and she left. He laid back on his bed and stared at the ceiling, his thoughts returning back to Ike and the way he had looked at him. Marth blushed. It seemed too good to be true. Perhaps it was just because it was Christmas day and he was happy because of that. He glanced across at the Poké Ball, wondering what else this festive day could possibly have in store for him.

There was a short knock on the door.

"Come in."

The door opened and Link stood in the doorway looking a bit sheepish.

"Oh, Link! Ike said you wanted to talk to me," Marth said, sitting up.

"Yes." Link stepped in and shut the door. He stood just inside for a long moment as if not knowing what to do, and then moved quickly to sit on the bed next to Marth. There was a pause in which he simply took a nervous breath and then he reached into the school bag he had for some reason brought with him. Marth watched in curiosity as Link withdrew a slim red notebook and held it out to him abruptly. Marth stared at it for a long moment, uncomprehending.

"I was hoping you could return this to Zelda for me," he murmured guiltily.

Marth tensed as realisation dawned on him. "Is that...her diary?"

Link looked away, ashamed. "We were talking in her room this morning when Peach came running in to tell her that you, you know, you and Ike had fallen asleep together on the sofa."

Marth blushed.

"Zelda grabbed her camera and rushed out. She didn't come back for a while and I was glancing around the room for something to do when I saw it – the diary. It was just lying on the side and I opened it to see what it was and..." He trailed off awkwardly, the rest of his confession implied. "She still didn't come back so I sat down to read it properly when I heard her footsteps. I couldn't put it back quick enough so I hid it under my top and made an excuse to leave quickly." Link looked to Marth anxiously. "I don't think I can return it to her without her suspecting... I was hoping you could get it back to her on my behalf somehow... Please don't tell her I took it," he pleaded.

Marth frowned at him. "She already suspected me of taking it! She'll think I really did steal it if I was the one to give it back to her!" Marth protested. Link looked down at his hands. Marth lowered his voice, another thought taking over.

"So...you read her diary?"

Link nodded slowly. "Pieces. I know I shouldn't have...I was too curious... She wrote about the love potion she'd planned to give me on the night of the film party and how you ended up drinking it by accident instead. I guess that's why you acted so strange..."

Marth blushed. "She meant well," he muttered, barely able to believe he was defending her.

Link smiled. "I know."

The red notebook lay on the bed between them and they both stared at it for a moment.

"Please, Marth," Link persisted at last, "I can't bear the thought of falling out with her so soon..."

Marth sighed in resignation. It was true that they had only been together for a few days. They were so good together; it would be a shame to have a potential disruption in their relationship so early on.

"I'll see what I can do," he consented. An expression of relief washed over Link's face.

"Thank you. I'll...leave that with you then." Link shot him one last grateful smile and then stood up to leave. Marth watched him go and sat in silence for a few moments, wondering what to do. His eyes gravitated to back towards the diary. No – he wouldn't. Of course not. The thought hadn't even crossed his mind. He slid one finger slowly over the red cover of the diary. It was an invasion of privacy but she was bound to have written about him – and _Link_ had read it. And in the same position Zelda would definitely read his. He blinked, and forced himself to look away.

A large proportion of the day slipped by without him succumbing to the temptation. The snow had melted a little and he helped Peach retrieve her earring from the snowman, and then finished eating his shortbread before baking a cake to share with everyone. The afternoon melted away before he had a chance to return to his room and was confronted once more with the red notebook still lying on his bed. He'd almost forgotten about it. Almost. He sat down beside it slowly. For a second or two he hesitated, then nudged the cover open with his finger casually as if it was simply an accident of movement. The first entry had been written some time in March and didn't interest him. He paused and then skipped towards entries in December, quickly foregoing the pretence that he wasn't intentionally reading Zelda's diary. His eyes caught on the third:

_Yessss! Finally got Marth to admit his blatant crush on Ike...even if it was under the influence of a truth potion..._

He skipped a few days.

_In the evening Marth got drunk and actually licked Nutella off his top! I'll have to mention that suggestively some time... And then he staggered down the corridor and hugged Ike! Well, I don't think Ike really minded..._

He flicked through a little further, to the 18th.

_Ike wanted to talk to us about Marth. We managed to make Marth sound so suggestive! Don't think Ike really bought into it, but then he's seen how shy Marth is. His face when I exposed his feelings to the others – he didn't even look angry... I knew it. He knew I was saying the truth. I think he's more likely to do something about it than Marth. If only Marth would just step out and speak up sometimes, I think it could do him a lot of good. I do love my potions, but it would be much better and easier if – _

There was a knock on the door. Marth's hands twitched automatically in panic and he flung the diary violently to the other side of the room, sitting on his hands and trying to suppress the sudden guilt that swelled up inside him.

"Yes?"

The door opened slowly. "Hey – are you busy?"

"Oh...no." Marth tried not to look guilty as Ike stepped in holding a small wrapped package and sat on the bed beside him. They sat in silence for a little while.

"Did something fall over?" Ike asked with a frown.

Marth stared at the spot where the diary had crumpled beside the far wall. Ike followed his gaze.

"What –"

"Nothing!" Marth squeaked.

Ike frowned, his eyes narrowing. "Is that –"

"Nothing!"

"O...kay... It's just that I was talking to Z–"

"I didn't mean to! It was just that Link had it and then he gave it to me and then I wasn't going to read it but I knew she'd have written about me and so I just took a quick look – I barely saw anything, really, I mean..."

"...she told me she'd lost her diary," Ike finished slowly, giving Marth a long look. And then he grinned. "Did you read anything funny?"

Marth shrugged. "No. Not really." He smiled shyly.

Ike smiled and leant back on the bed, pulling out his iPod and offering Marth and earphone. Marth paused and then lay down beside him so that they were both staring up at the ceiling.

"Today's been hectic," Ike commented.

"Christmas." Marth sighed. A comfortable silence fell. Marth glanced across at him, wondering what the package was. It was wrapped in Christmas paper – a present for him? Well if it was Ike would offer it to him, right? But the silence slipped on. They relaxed, listening to Ike's music. It was so peaceful, Marth mused. He could spend more time like this, just him and Ike... This time the thought didn't make him blush. Instead he smiled, a big smile that simply spread and spread across his face without reason, until it almost hurt his cheeks. Then his eyes shot open as he felt Ike sit up abruptly.

"What is it?"

Ike looked at him and fiddled with the package in his hand as Marth sat up as well. He looked around at the walls almost as if in despair, or perhaps as if searching for courage, and then held the package out towards Marth.

"This is for you."

"Oh, thank y–"

"It's not from me." Ike rushed, colouring with embarrassment. "I'm so sorry. It's from Peach. I was going to get you something but I kept forgetting and then there was snow and today all the shops are closed and...I...I'm so sorry." Ike looked down at his hands as Marth took the present from him.

"That's okay."

"No!" Ike exclaimed suddenly, making Marth jump. "I really wanted to get you something – I'm so stupid to forget..." He hit himself on the forehead with the palm of his hand.

"No, I don't mind, really, I...I...I forgot your present too." The last words slipped out of his mouth without thought, surprising Marth as he realised the truth of them as they came out. His eyes widened. "Oh no, I did, I really forgot, I..." Marth bit his lip, distressed.

"It's okay Marth," Ike chuckled. Then he shook his head good-humouredly. "I guess we both got distracted."

Marth nodded. "Well...shall we see what this is?"

Ike smiled. "Okay."

Marth pulled the packaging off and pulled out a very girly, very pink, very frilly knitted bobble hat. "Oh, this is just..._typical._" Marth sighed and Ike grinned.

"Don't worry, I believe she got Pit a very similar scarf," Ike reassured him.

"Peach would, if anyone." Marth rolled his eyes and then his gaze locked onto Ike's as they both smiled. He just felt so..._comfortable_ with Ike, he realised. Did Ike feel the same? He remembered what he'd read in Zelda's diary: '_If only Marth would just step out and speak up sometimes...' _He took a deep breath. Ike had said he'd liked him, but that could have meant...was it...it had to be...please...

"Ike...?" He swallowed nervously.

Ike looked at him and it was as though something passed between them then, something deeper than words. Ike lifted one hand and cupped Marth's cheek.

"I know I forgot your present, but...well, do you think you could have me instead?"

Marth beamed at him, a beautiful warmth spreading through him. "Always," he whispered.

Ike smiled, and then leant in to kiss him.

* * *

><p><strong>...Ike.<strong>


End file.
